Use outside counsel to provide CLE training, and save money (Allstate)

The 700-lawyers of Allstate’s legal department consume a tremendous amount of continuing legal education because many of them are admitted to practice in Illinois, which has mandatory CLE. To whittle away at those ongoing professional development costs, Allstate ask its premiere legal firms to provide free seminars that qualify for CLE credits. As reported in Corp. Counsel, Vol. 14, May 2007 at 98, all 13 of Allstate’s primary firms have agreed to give CLE sessions and ‘the insurer is saving an eye-popping $1 million over two years on continuing legal education classes.” (See my posts of March 6, 2007 on CLE credits for a law department’s own courses; Jan. 20, 2006 on mandatory CLE; May 10, 2005 on reimbursement of CLE expenses; and May 1, 2005 on the obligation to disseminate CLE training.).

Note another nice touch. Allstate invited in-house lawyers from neighboring companies to take advantage of the classes. Here’s an example of collective law department activity (See my post of Oct. 14, 2005 and references cited on collective actions by law department.).