Starting a Law Firm | The Benefits of CLE?

I think the basis and general idea of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) is great.  CLE is meant to be an opportunity for lawyers to hone their craft, learn new skills, and get updates on changes in the law.  However, too many CLE sessions, in my humble opinion, are simply opportunities for presenters to promote what they do while, simultaneously, giving lawyers a break from day-to-day work in a place where they can play games of grab-ass ( otherwise known as networking).

I apologize for the whining.

I attended a CLE today that I was really looking forward to.  Lots of great presenters.  Great looking names.  Cool topics.  The works.  I got to the CLE this morning with my notepad ready to be filled and with a mind open to obtaining new knowledge.  Yet, after a day of taking very few notes and listening to presenters drone on about trial rules which haven’t changed appreciably in ten years and case law that I have already read, I feel a little jaded.

I did pick up a few tidbits about things which I could do better and which might help my practice.  That may be worth the price of admission by itself.  However, I don’t really think so.

Perhaps we aren’t meant to absorb much in the actual CLE sessions, but, instead, read over the copious amounts of material given out at a later time.  I’ll buy that.  However, one questions why all-day CLE sessions are even necessary.  Why not just give us all a snippet and tell us to go read the information ourselves?

Here is the thing:  I like learning.  I like expanding my knowledge in a particular area of law. What I don’t like is being dissapointed consistently with dull presentations which go nowhere.  Now, I’m not saying all CLE’s are bad. Some CLE’s I have taken have been very, very good.  Yet, in my experience, those occasions are more the exception than the rule.

Perhaps the answer to this conundrum is for me to stop complaining and come up with an awesome CLE presentation of my own – one that defies all expectations.  I guess I’ll have to get working on that.

I am interested in knowing what other people’s experiences with CLE has been?  Am I jaded, or does everybody have a similar experience?  Feel free to comment.