Passed by the Supervisory Board on June 11, 2004. In force throughout the period 01/01/2004 - 31/12/2008.
- During a period of five years, active members of The Norwegian Bar Association (DNA) shall according to § 12 of the bylaws complete 80 hours of continued training. At least five of these must be on Ethics. For those who become members during this period, the requirements will be proportionately reduced per year. Newly admitted assistant lawyers, who have acquired their law degrees less than a year ago, will only need to fulfil 8 hours during the first year of their membership.
Members who are employers have the responsibility to ensure that their employed lawyers and assistant lawyers to whom these rules pertain meet the requirements for continued training.
- The Approval Committee for Continued Training has set the following criteria for approved courses:
A. The following juridical courses are approved:
Courses organized by the Centre for Continuing Legal Education (JUS) - alone or in cooperation with others.
District courses, courses organized by The Norwegian Association of Lawyers (Norges Juristforbund), Universities/University Colleges and courses offered by universities or lawyer organizations abroad.
B. Through applications law courses that are offered by other serious course organizers, among them sizeable in-service trainings. The courses can be approved in advance by the Approval Committee for Continued Training.
- Juridical research and teaching activities are considered as equivalent to course participation and may fulfil the requirements for continued training. Likewise, participation in professional activities and engagement in presenting reports. The conversion of teaching hours to course hours is determined by the Approval Committee for Continued Training. The Approval Committee will assess individually the extent to which research and presentation of reports can be credited as an alternative to course participation.
- The main focus on continued training should be on juridical updating and in depth studies, including arbitration training for lawyers. Approved further studies, within the framework of 25 course hours, may also include subjects and courses connected with the law practice, such as: language, economy, accounting, audit and management of the law practice.
- Members can have up to 25 hours credited through a self-declaration about a specific professional in depth study beyond the ordinary updating, such as:
- Working with far-reaching principle lawsuits
- Writing professional articles
- Participating in short, in-service training (within a law firm).
The declaration is formulated by the Approval Committee which also determines the final conditions for crediting course hours on this basis.
- Participation in the following committees, etc. can be credited with five course hours annually:
The Profession Committees of the Centre for Continuing Legal Education (JUS), DNA´s (The Norwegian Bar Association) Law Committees, the Ethics Committee, the Disciplinary Committee and the Disciplinary Council.
- For members who have fewer requirements for further education (than the 80 hours mentioned in point 1) during the period, a proportional reduction in the hours that can be credited according to points 4-6 will be applicable.
- During the period, if a member exceeds the requirements for approved course hours, the accumulated time within that period will be transferred to the next.
- A total or partial exemption from the requirements for continued training can be given in the following cases:
A. A long term illness or other intervals in the lawyer´s practice.
B. During the period a member has had a position, or has been engaged in a specifically qualified juridical work whereby the requirements for professional update and in depth learning have been satisfactorily fulfilled.
C. During the period the member has had an administrative position and declares not to have been involved in any legal and juridical tasks.
D. During the five-year period, the member is to announce the closing down of his/her law practice, at the latest by 31/12/2008.
Members that terminate their membership within the final year of the 5-year period and re-enroll in the first year of the new period must complete any remaining hours from earlier periods before membership can be approved.
Members who close down their practices or assistant lawyers who become deputy judges, police agents, etc. can be exempted from earlier uncompleted hours as mentioned above. Similarly, this also applies to members on leave, for example pregnancy leave.
The application for exemption will be assessed by the Approval Committee, which is also able to give exemptions in other special cases according to the above mentioned intentions.
- Members who do not fulfil the requirements for mandatory continued training will pay the following fee to DNA:
NOK 10.000, - for those who lack up to 16 hours
NOK 15.000, - for those who lack between 17 and 32 hours
NOK 20.000, - for those who lack between 33 and 48 hours
NOK 30.000, - for those who lack between 49 and 64 timer
According to the bylaws of § 13-3, the Board of Directors may consider exclusion of those members who lack more than 64 hours or who do not pay the above mentioned fees to DNA,
- JUS conducts the registration of the participants on its own courses. Information about other courses, such as programme and list of participants, must be sent to DNA´s Secretariat without undue delay. The Secretariat can if necessary demand further course documentation, likewise information about given lectures, research work and report writing engagements. DNA´s Secretariat proposes consecutive registration of approved courses/number of course hours for each member. At the end of a calendar year each member will receive a report about the number of course hours that are registered in the past year. Members who have not been registered during the last three years will be contacted separately.
- DNA´s Board of Directors and DNA´s board members in JUS (in their capacity of their membership in the Approval Committee) have the responsibility to supervise that the requirements for continued training are met according to the rules. The Approval Committee keeps the Board of Directors informed about its activities.
Complaints concerning the Approval Committee´s decision can be sent to the Board of Directors. The deadline for a complaint is four weeks after a member receives the Approval Committee´s decision.
Please send your applications and self-declarations to:
Godkjenningsutvalget for etterutdanning
Den Norske Advokatforening
Kr. Augustsgt. 9
0164 Oslo