Making CLE Tracking Easier for Attorneys and State Bar Staff
The West Virginia State Bar is an agency of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia. It serves over 9,000 active and inactive attorneys across West Virginia, overseeing annual membership renewals, pro hac vice registration, IOLTA reporting, and the administration of mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE).
For attorneys, staying in compliance with continuing education requirements is essential to maintaining their license to practice. For Bar staff, managing these requirements means balancing strict judicial rules with the need for efficient, user-friendly tools.
The Challenge
The previous system, built on Drupal 7 and CiviCRM, had grown increasingly difficult to maintain. Over time, custom code had been added to support credit tracking and reporting rules, resulting in more than 10,000 lines of fragile, hard-to-update code.
Attorneys often found the submission process and credit calculations difficult to follow. In some cases, totals on CLE transcripts did not match expectations due to complex logic around reporting periods, admission dates, and credit type limits. Staff also faced challenges verifying submissions and recalculating compliance totals, which often required manual fixes.
The Bar also needed to uphold strict judicial rules established by the Supreme Court of Appeals. Reported credits could not be changed after submission, and the system had to enforce credit type limits, maintain accurate totals, and prevent attorneys who were out of compliance from renewing until their records were complete.
The goal was to modernize the CLE management system in a way that improved usability while maintaining complete accuracy and rule enforcement.
The Solution
Modernizing the CLE Process
Skvare rebuilt the Bar’s CLE and MCLE systems using Drupal 10 and CiviCRM. The new structure replaced outdated custom code with configurable tools that are easier to maintain and extend.
Each CLE submission creates a CiviCRM activity record. These activities are categorized by credit type, provider, and reporting period, allowing the system to automatically calculate totals for each attorney. The logic that determines compliance runs directly within CiviCRM, using data that updates in real time.
Simplified Submission and Review
Attorneys and CLE providers submit course completions through Drupal webforms built with Webform CiviCRM. These forms sync directly with CiviCRM, removing the need for staff to re-enter or reconcile data.
When a submission is received, it is routed for staff review and approval. Once approved, the attorney’s totals and compliance status update automatically. Presumptive providers can also upload attendance lists in bulk, ensuring that group courses and large events are processed efficiently.
Dashboard and Self-Service Tools
The CLE Dashboard gives attorneys an at-a-glance view of their current totals, reporting progress, and compliance status. From the same dashboard, attorneys can download official transcripts or view pending submissions.
The system also uses conditional messaging to improve clarity. If an attorney is suspended or not in compliance, the site automatically displays instructions explaining why they cannot pay their fees until their credits are submitted.
Accuracy and Rule Enforcement
Compliance calculations reflect all Supreme Court–mandated rules. Once a credit is attested, it becomes read-only to protect the accuracy of the record. The system enforces category limits such as a maximum of 12 online hours and applies exceptions for attorneys who join mid-reporting period.
Administrators can run bulk compliance checks, add late fees, and send notifications to attorneys who are behind on their credits. All data is stored in CiviCRM, ensuring a consistent, auditable record of compliance.
Results
The updated CLE tracking and compliance system has significantly improved both user experience and operational efficiency.
Attorneys have a single, reliable place to report courses, track totals, and download transcripts without needing staff assistance. Automated calculations reduce the chance of error, while dashboards and notifications keep attorneys informed about their status.
For Bar staff, what was once a manual, time-intensive process has become faster and more transparent. Compliance reports that previously required multiple checks update automatically as submissions are approved.
The system meets judicial standards while simplifying daily management for both administrators and members. Thousands of attorneys benefit from a more efficient, transparent process that promotes fairness and compliance across every reporting period.
At Skvare, we help organizations make the most of open-source tools like Drupal and CiviCRM. To learn how we can simplify your systems, contact us today.