A Simple Framework for CLE Success: 5 Essentials for Every Law Firm

Posted on Oct. 27, 2025

Author: Stacey Kalamaras

Founder & Lead Instructor Trademarkabilities

Is your CLE strategy just checking the box? If your firm is like many, your attorneys may treat CLE like a dreaded compliance chore.

But CLE has the potential to be so much more. With the right structure, it can boost attorney confidence, reinforce mentorship, and turn junior associates into client-ready contributors.

And you don’t have to pack in even more CLE hours to make that happen. The answer lies in creating a strategy that supports both your firm and your associates where they need it most.

Use this checklist to move beyond just checking boxes (yes, the irony is real) so your CLE creates results, not just busywork.

Step 1. Find the Gaps Law School Didn’t Fill

Law schools are great at teaching legal theory. However, your firm needs legal execution.

New associates often show up ready to research and write, but struggle with turning that knowledge into a real-world practice. That includes things like client communication, filing mechanics, and real-time decision-making.

To spot those gaps:

  • Ask partners what junior attorneys consistently miss
  • Identify areas that regularly require hands-on correction
  • Look for patterns in delayed work, rewrites, or missed context

For example, trademark law is a prime gap area. Many junior attorneys haven’t been trained on clearance searches, filing strategies, or brand enforcement, yet these are common, high-value tasks partners want to delegate.

Step 2. Reinforce Mentorship (Don’t Replace It)

There’s no substitute for partner-led mentorship, but CLE can make that mentorship more effective.

CLE shouldn’t compete with informal coaching or case-by-case guidance. Instead, it should reinforce and scale those lessons. Look for training that reflects how your firm works and complements what associates learn through hands-on experience.

Strategic CLE makes mentorship “lessons” stickier and more impactful.

Step 3. Choose Skills That Align With Your Firm

Not all CLE is created equal, not all firms offer the same services, and not all training areas serve your firm’s goals. The best CLE focuses on areas that are:

  • Relevant to your client base
  • Teachable to non-specialists
  • In demand across industries

CLEs on trademark law, again, are great examples of the practical use of CLEs. It’s concrete, doesn’t require a technical background, and applies broadly across industries. Giving attorneys this kind of broadly applicable CLE sets them up to contribute sooner and gives firms more internal bandwidth to take on new work.

Step 4. Ask WIIFM – What’s In It For Me/My Firm

“Completed” isn’t the same as “useful.”

If CLE participation is tied to performance reviews or promotion readiness, the training itself should be built to deliver observable outcomes.

So, what do strong outcomes look like?

  • Attorneys take on new responsibilities
  • Supervisors report improved readiness
  • Associates feel more confident and capable
  • Client feedback improves
  • You attract and keep more top-tier talent

If none of that is happening, your CLE might just be a checkbox. And that’s a missed opportunity to grow both your attorneys and your firm.

Step 5. Make Sure the Delivery is Friction-Free

Everybody’s time is tight, and we still just have 24 hours in a day.  That means even the most motivated associate will skip CLE if it means losing billable hours or falling behind.

To structure your CLE program in a way that’s low-friction, look for programs that offer:

  • On-demand modules that fit attorney schedules
  • Real-world simulations that reinforce the learning
  • Practical learning that builds associate confidence and prepares them to handle client issues with ease

When CLE fits into the rhythm of the firm, it’s easier to roll out, easier for associates to complete, and more likely to stick.

Getting More From CLE Starts With Thinking Outside the (Check) Box

Just because CLE is required doesn’t mean it has to be routine or static. In fact, by tracking what’s working (and what’s not), you can ensure your approach becomes a lever for engagement, mentorship, and growth.

Congratulations, if you’ve made it this far down the checklist, chances are, you’re already thinking beyond just checking the box.

 

Stacey Kalamaras bio
Stacey Kalamaras is the founder of Trademarkabilities®, a unique CLE training program that teaches associates the practical skills to excel in trademark prosecution before the USPTO. A former Big Law IP lawyer and marketing executive, she has protected and built some of the world’s most recognized brands.