U.S. Continuing Legal Education Market Research Report 2025-2030

The U.S. continuing legal education market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.02% from 2024 to 2030.

US CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION MARKET NEWS

• In 2025, the American Bar Association (ABA hosts both virtual and in-person events across many topics and locations. Some events are eligible for CLE accreditation. It offers over 2,000 online and in-person events from more than 40 groups.
• In 2025, Practising Law Institute (PLI), a nonprofit learning organization dedicated to keeping attorneys and other professionals, enhanced its digital ecosystem with an all-new website, PLI.edu. The completely redesigned site features an updated interface that provides one-click access to PLI's thousands of hours of world-class content, with personalization tools to allow users to easily find, follow, and launch programs relevant to their professional interests and CLE needs.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• By Delivery Mode: The classroom training segment accounted for the largest market share of over 49%.
• By Providers: The multi-disciplinary educational institutes segment is expected to grow faster with 8.33% CAGR during the forecast period.
• By Region: The West region dominates and holds the largest U.S. continuing legal education market share of 30%.
• Growth Factor: The U.S. continuing legal education market is set to grow due to rising employment in the legal profession and increasing emphasis on diversity, ethics, and inclusion.

US CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

Technology Integration in Continuing Legal Education

Technology integration in continuing legal education is a major trend in the U.S. continuing legal education market. It is driven by several factors, including increased need for flexibility & accessibility, data analytics & insights, adoption of modern practices, and enhanced retention & engagement. Due to the integration of technology, the lawyers who have mobility challenges or are from rural areas can easily access the top-notch CLE without travel. Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and cloud computing is one of the factors offering greater opportunities for revenue growth. AI helps to summarize brainstorming arguments, complex documents, or any other questions related to CLE participants.

Shift Toward Competency-based CLE

Competency-Based Education (CBE) is a way that focuses on students demonstrating mastery in specific knowledge and skills, instead of accumulating seat time or credit hours. In continuing legal education, the CBE helps law students to better fulfill the demands of the legal profession. CBE is built on various principles such as assessment and feedback, personalized learning, clear learning objectives, and competency-based progression. Its objective in CLE is to achieve measurable & specific competencies. The application of CBE in legal education is evolving.

Rising Employment in the Legal Profession

Rising employment in the legal profession is a significant driver in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market. It is driven by several factors, including rising competitiveness & career development, mandatory CLE requirements, and lifelong learning for professional competence. In the competitive market of the legal profession, lawyers use CLE to gain new expertise, enhance their skills, and differentiate themselves for career advancement in careers such as attracting new clients, securing in-house counsel roles, or making partners. It drives the demand for continuing legal education (CLE) in the U.S. market during the forecast period.

Increasing Emphasis on Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion

Increasing emphasis on diversity, ethics, and inclusion (DEI) is a significant driver in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market. It is driven by several factors, including professional responsibility & ethical obligation, talent management & firm culture, client expectations & business case, reputational & societal pressure, and mandatory CLE requirement. The rising number of state bar associations is mandating the CLE credit hours in DEI. In 2018, most U.S. states started to mandate DEI continuing legal education components for attorneys. In the U.S., most states advance their credit needs, responding to the legal society's increasing emphasis on diversity, ethics, and inclusion. In the U.S., the continuing legal education offers significant courses associated with Diversity, Ethics, and Inclusion (DEI).

INDUSTRY RESTRAINTS

Challenges Associated with Online CLE Courses

Challenges associated with online CLE courses are a major restraint in the US CLE market. It is due to the technological glitches & barriers, pedagogical effectiveness & quality control, limited networking opportunities, distractions in the home environment, and engagement & retention issues. Various technology glitches and barriers are affecting the online CLE courses, such as software compatibility, user proficiency, internet connectivity, and hardware limitations. Issues with specific outdated operating systems, browsers, or unfamiliar platforms may create technical issues for users.

U.S. CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION MARKET SEGMENTATION INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS BY DELIVERY MODE

The classroom training segment accounted for the largest U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market share of over 49%. Classroom training offers curated events specifically designed to provide high-quality networking opportunities alongside CLE content. It helps participants build strong connections with classmates. The demand for classroom training is growing significantly in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market, driven by several factors including the need for direct interaction, a sense of community, experiential learning, networking opportunities, and focused learning environments.

In the U.S., there are approximately four lawyers for every 1,000 residents. The increased demand for highly interactive, immersive, and premium workshop experiences that online platforms often cannot replicate is fueling interest in classroom training. These highly specialized seminars often target niche practice areas or local legal communities, contributing to the growth of the classroom-based continuing legal education (CLE) market. As a traditional mode of delivery, classroom training remains in high demand for its ability to provide enriched learning experiences and in-depth knowledge transfer. It offers participants the opportunity to engage in discussions, ask questions in real time, and receive immediate feedback from instructors.

INSIGHTS BY PROVIDER

Based on the provider, the multi-disciplinary educational institutes segment shows prominent growth, with the fastest-growing CAGR of 8.33% during the forecast period. The continuing legal education (CLE)courses offered by multi-disciplinary educational institutes are rising significantly due to the availability of field professionals. The demand for continuing legal education (CLE) from such institutions is increasing, driven by several factors including specialized expertise, reputation and prestige, opportunities for networking with academia, and access to executive education. These universities provide lawyers with opportunities to engage with thought leaders and legal academics. Senior legal professionals are increasingly seeking specialized management or leadership programs that integrate legal concepts. The prestige associated with certain universities attracts lawyers looking to advance their careers through upper-level professional development. Newly graduated students often rely on CLE credits to enhance their job prospects, further driving demand for university-based courses. Attorneys also turn to university CLE programs to explore innovative legal training methods and stay updated on the latest laws and regulations. This trend is expected to continue driving demand for continuing legal education (CLE) in the U.S. market during the forecast period.

U.S. CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION MARKET REGIONAL ANALYSIS

In 2024, the West region dominated and held the largest U.S. continuing legal education market share of 30%. The demand for CLE in the Western U.S. is driven by several factors, including a large attorney base, the region's status as a hub for tech law and innovation, mandatory CLE credit requirements, increasing legal complexities in high-growth industries, and evolving environmental laws. In 2024, California leads the West with 175,883 lawyers. Montana has also seen notable growth, with its number of active resident lawyers increasing by around 17% over the past decade. Mandatory CLE credit requirements in many Western states are higher than those in other regions. For instance, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado each require 45 credit hours, posing a significant challenge for attorneys, while California mandates 25 hours.

California's large attorney population continues to fuel CLE demand, and stringent regulations across the region further boost participation. The presence of Silicon Valley and other major tech hubs drives high demand for CLE programs focused on data security, intellectual property, cybersecurity, venture capital law, and technology law. Additionally, the growth of the entertainment, clean energy, and tech sectors is creating new legal complexities, further accelerating the adoption of CLE across the region.

U.S. CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE

The U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market report consists of exclusive data on 33 vendors. The U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market is highly competitive and fragmented, comprising a mix of small, niche, and well-established players. Larger providers offer extensive course libraries that cover a wide range of jurisdictions and practice areas. These companies are heavily investing in developing new content and pursuing acquisition and partnership strategies to remain competitive and attract a broader customer base.

In contrast, smaller players tend to focus on complex, emerging, or highly specialized topics such as trial advocacy, environmental litigation, blockchain law, and AI ethics. They compete based on cutting-edge content and deep subject-matter expertise. Many CLE providers are adopting unlimited access subscription models, which add value for users and serve as a key growth strategy. Companies also offer varied access options, including firm-wide licenses, individual subscriptions, and single course purchases.

Competition is further driven by the reputation of instructors, such as renowned academics, legal practitioners, and judges, and the overall perceived quality of the educational content.

Key Vendors

• American Bar Association
• CeriFi
• Lawline
• National Business Institute
• Practising Law Institute

Other Prominent Vendors

• ALM Global, LLC.
• American Law Institute
• Attorney Credits
• Lorman Education Services
• mylawCLE
• National Academy of Continuing Legal Education (NACLE)
• RELX
• TRTCLE, Corp.
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA)
• BARBRI, Inc.
• American University
• CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, EAST BAY
• Duquesne University
• Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• Institute of Continuing Legal Education
• Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education
• Seyfarth Shaw LLP
• Strafford LLC
• Sterling Analytics
• St. John's University
• University of Miami
• University of San Diego
• University of California (Irvine)
• University of North Dakota
• University of Houston Law Center
• University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• USC Gould School of Law

SEGMENTATION & FORECASTS

• By Delivery Mode
  • Classroom Training
  • Distance Learning
  • Other Delivery Modes
• BY Providers Market
  • Educational Companies
  • Multi-disciplinary Educational Institutes
  • Standalone Law Schools
  • Other Providers
• By Region Market
  • West
  • Northeast
  • South
  • Midwest

KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

1. How big is the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?

2. What is the growth rate of the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?

3. Which delivery mode segment has the largest share in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?

4. Which region holds the largest share in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?

5. Which provider segment provides more business opportunities in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?

6. Who are the major players in the U.S. continuing legal education (CLE) market?