State high court justices want lawyers to learn more
July 11, 2009 - 9:00 pm
CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court is working on stringent new rules to ensure that lawyers continue to update their legal education.
Justices say there has been an unacceptable trend of non-compliance, with about 15 percent of the state's licensed lawyers not meeting the requirements for annual education updates.
Failure to meet the requirements "is a breach of a professional responsibility that cannot be tolerated," Chief Justice Jim Hardesty said.
Many of the same lawyers fail to complete the requirements year after year, Hardesty said.
The updated rules might include steep increases in the fines imposed for failing to comply and automatic suspension of the licenses of lawyers who don't fulfill continuing education obligations after being advised that they are delinquent.