CLS F.A.Q.
AELE seminars provide credit toward the
To earn the designation, a person must attend the qualifying seminars in a 36-month period and satisfy supplemental reading requirements. The designation is conferred at no additional cost to the applicant.
What is AELE’s education-related history?
AELE was chartered as an educational organization in 1966 by four active or former professors – all of whom had law enforcement or prosecution experience. AELE is a research driven, not-for-profit Illinois corporation that provides seminars and monthly publications to criminal justice and public safety professionals. AELE does not engage in partisan political activities and is not a subsidiary or component of another entity.
AELE has published legal periodicals since 1973 and has sponsored nationally acclaimed legal seminars since 1974. The cumulative attendance is over 18,000.
AELE has an Academic Committee that sets the standards for the Certified Litigation Specialist ™ designation and for recognition as a Litigation Professional. (Note 2)
Who can qualify as a Certified Litigation Specialist (or Litigation Professional)?
Non-lawyers can earn the Certified Litigation Specialist ™ (CLS) designation by attending different qualifying seminars within the past 36 months, familiarizing yourself with two documents provided as “resource materials” and successful completion of an online assessment.
Lawyers can qualify for recognition as a Litigation Professional by fulfilling the same requirements.
There are no other educational, occupational or experience requirements.
What are the categories for Certified Litigation Specialist (or Litigation Professional)?
There are two CLS categories: “Police/Law Enforcement” and “Corrections” litigation. The seminars required for each of these categories are:
Police/Law Enforcement Litigation
1. Force Management
2. Public Safety Special Circumstances Internal Investigations and Discipline
3. Sudden and In-Custody Death annual international Conference (offered by The Institute For The Prevention of In-Custody Deaths
(IPICD.org)
Corrections Litigation
1. Jail & Prisoner Legal Issues and
2. Public Safety Special Circumstances Internal Investigations and Discipline
3. Sudden and In-Custody Death annual international Conference (offered by The Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, Inc.)
Are there time limits to complete the qualifying seminars?
Yes. All qualifying seminars must be completed within a 36-month period.
How long is the designation valid?
The designation expires at the end of the 24 months from the date of the last qualifying seminar.
Examples: If you attended the qualifying seminars, the last of which was in March 2020, the designation expires on March 31, 2022.
How is a designation renewed?
A new or renewal application must be completed and faxed or emailed to the AELE. It must list at least the qualifying seminars during a 36-month period preceding the application
What are the “additional resource materials” reading requirements?
Attendants are given a flash drive and/or a link to download reading requirements or seminar materials. The Academic Committee has chosen two of these that merit close attention, and a CLS or LP recipient must indicate, in the application form, that (s)he is generally familiar with the content of the selected documents. Each person’s knowledge of a subject is different, and the familiarization process could vary from a short period to several hours. The documents are (PDF format)
• Principles for Promoting Police Integrity, U.S. Dept. of Justice
• New Challenges for Law Enforcement Professional Standards Officers
(Online article discusses training and policy failures).
Because these are “resource” materials, they do not have to be read like a novel. It is sufficient to page through the articles and documents with enough attention to remember the basic contents, in general terms. The information contained in one or more of the recommended reading may appear in the online CLS/CLP assessment.
Can I qualify in more than one category?
A person may qualify in both categories by taking the qualifying seminars in the last 36 months. A person could have different expiration dates for each category, depending on the sequence of the subjects.
What are the dates and places of qualifying seminars?
For dates and information on the qualifying AELE seminars, click on the seminar information link in this website. For information on the other qualifying seminars, go to IPICD.com.
What is the purpose of the Police Use of Force Law Instructor’s Guide?
CLS designees receive a CD which they can use as a resource or to build use of force lesson plans if they instruct on legal topics. This is an exclusive benefit, as the Guide is not available to instructors who have not earned the CLS designation. Click here for additional information.
What is the cost for receiving the CLS designation (or LP recognition)?
There is no fee to receive the CLS designation (or LP recognition). The CLS application form (or LP recognition form) should be printed, completed and faxed to AELE. After an applicant’s attendance at the qualifying seminars has been verified, AELE will send a personalized, diploma-style document suitable for framing, imprinted with the person’s name, the category they have qualified in, and the dates of validity. If a person has qualified in multiple categories, the document will list the valid dates for each category. A sample CLS certificate and LP recognition document are on the AELE website.
How can I identify myself as a Certified Litigation Specialist or a Litigation Professional?
In addition to receiving the diploma-style document, Certified Litigation Specialists will be sent a “Litigation Specialist” pin.
- Certified Litigation Specialist ™ (CLS) designation for non-lawyers, or
- Litigation Professional (LP) recognition for members of the bar
To earn the designation, a person must attend the qualifying seminars in a 36-month period and satisfy supplemental reading requirements. The designation is conferred at no additional cost to the applicant.
What is AELE’s education-related history?
AELE was chartered as an educational organization in 1966 by four active or former professors – all of whom had law enforcement or prosecution experience. AELE is a research driven, not-for-profit Illinois corporation that provides seminars and monthly publications to criminal justice and public safety professionals. AELE does not engage in partisan political activities and is not a subsidiary or component of another entity.
AELE has published legal periodicals since 1973 and has sponsored nationally acclaimed legal seminars since 1974. The cumulative attendance is over 18,000.
AELE has an Academic Committee that sets the standards for the Certified Litigation Specialist ™ designation and for recognition as a Litigation Professional. (Note 2)
Who can qualify as a Certified Litigation Specialist (or Litigation Professional)?
Non-lawyers can earn the Certified Litigation Specialist ™ (CLS) designation by attending different qualifying seminars within the past 36 months, familiarizing yourself with two documents provided as “resource materials” and successful completion of an online assessment.
Lawyers can qualify for recognition as a Litigation Professional by fulfilling the same requirements.
There are no other educational, occupational or experience requirements.
What are the categories for Certified Litigation Specialist (or Litigation Professional)?
There are two CLS categories: “Police/Law Enforcement” and “Corrections” litigation. The seminars required for each of these categories are:
Police/Law Enforcement Litigation
1. Force Management
2. Public Safety Special Circumstances Internal Investigations and Discipline
3. Sudden and In-Custody Death annual international Conference (offered by The Institute For The Prevention of In-Custody Deaths
(IPICD.org)
Corrections Litigation
1. Jail & Prisoner Legal Issues and
2. Public Safety Special Circumstances Internal Investigations and Discipline
3. Sudden and In-Custody Death annual international Conference (offered by The Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths, Inc.)
Are there time limits to complete the qualifying seminars?
Yes. All qualifying seminars must be completed within a 36-month period.
How long is the designation valid?
The designation expires at the end of the 24 months from the date of the last qualifying seminar.
Examples: If you attended the qualifying seminars, the last of which was in March 2020, the designation expires on March 31, 2022.
How is a designation renewed?
A new or renewal application must be completed and faxed or emailed to the AELE. It must list at least the qualifying seminars during a 36-month period preceding the application
What are the “additional resource materials” reading requirements?
Attendants are given a flash drive and/or a link to download reading requirements or seminar materials. The Academic Committee has chosen two of these that merit close attention, and a CLS or LP recipient must indicate, in the application form, that (s)he is generally familiar with the content of the selected documents. Each person’s knowledge of a subject is different, and the familiarization process could vary from a short period to several hours. The documents are (PDF format)
• Principles for Promoting Police Integrity, U.S. Dept. of Justice
• New Challenges for Law Enforcement Professional Standards Officers
(Online article discusses training and policy failures).
Because these are “resource” materials, they do not have to be read like a novel. It is sufficient to page through the articles and documents with enough attention to remember the basic contents, in general terms. The information contained in one or more of the recommended reading may appear in the online CLS/CLP assessment.
Can I qualify in more than one category?
A person may qualify in both categories by taking the qualifying seminars in the last 36 months. A person could have different expiration dates for each category, depending on the sequence of the subjects.
What are the dates and places of qualifying seminars?
For dates and information on the qualifying AELE seminars, click on the seminar information link in this website. For information on the other qualifying seminars, go to IPICD.com.
What is the purpose of the Police Use of Force Law Instructor’s Guide?
CLS designees receive a CD which they can use as a resource or to build use of force lesson plans if they instruct on legal topics. This is an exclusive benefit, as the Guide is not available to instructors who have not earned the CLS designation. Click here for additional information.
What is the cost for receiving the CLS designation (or LP recognition)?
There is no fee to receive the CLS designation (or LP recognition). The CLS application form (or LP recognition form) should be printed, completed and faxed to AELE. After an applicant’s attendance at the qualifying seminars has been verified, AELE will send a personalized, diploma-style document suitable for framing, imprinted with the person’s name, the category they have qualified in, and the dates of validity. If a person has qualified in multiple categories, the document will list the valid dates for each category. A sample CLS certificate and LP recognition document are on the AELE website.
How can I identify myself as a Certified Litigation Specialist or a Litigation Professional?
In addition to receiving the diploma-style document, Certified Litigation Specialists will be sent a “Litigation Specialist” pin.
The pin is ¾-inch diameter
You may also indicate your status on business cards, letterhead and elsewhere – while in good standing. Lawyers who are Litigation Professionals may indicate the status on their résumés, if consistent with state bar rules of professional conduct.
What are the benefits of becoming a Certified Litigation Specialist ™ or a Litigation Professional?
AELE formally recognizes the fact that an individual has completed the qualifying seminars in the last 36 months and is familiar with additional resource materials. It is not an endorsement and does not attest to a person’s occupational or professional abilities. It is not a substitute for a degree or professional license, although attendance at the seminars may partially satisfy state-imposed in-service training or continuing education requirements. The designation is, and should be recognized as, a symbol of achievement.
Are there any discounts for repeating a seminar for CLS or LP credit?
Yes. A Certified Litigation Specialist ™ or a Litigation Professional is entitled to a $100 tuition reduction on each qualifying course that is repeated to maintain their CLS or LP status. That is in addition to the reduction offered to multiple attendants from the same agency, firm or other entity. Additionally, if a seminar is full, AELE guarantees an opening if a CLS or LP attendant registers at least four weeks in advance. This discount is only available to individuals who are repeating a seminar to maintain their CLS or LP status.
What happens after the designation expires and is not renewed?
You can state on your vita that you earned the designation, and the years of validity. Because a person’s employment or occupational specialty might change, you might choose not to renew the designation by repeating the qualifying seminars. That in no way detracts from the fact that you earned the designation during the period of validity.
What records are kept by AELE?
There is an archived, computer-based record of seminar attendance. A digital copy of a person’s CLS or LP achievement record is kept on file.
Once I have attended the qualifying seminars, how do I apply?
On the AELE website, click on the link for the CLS (or LP) form.
What if I have more questions?
Contact the staff via e-mail at staff@aele.org
What are the benefits of becoming a Certified Litigation Specialist ™ or a Litigation Professional?
AELE formally recognizes the fact that an individual has completed the qualifying seminars in the last 36 months and is familiar with additional resource materials. It is not an endorsement and does not attest to a person’s occupational or professional abilities. It is not a substitute for a degree or professional license, although attendance at the seminars may partially satisfy state-imposed in-service training or continuing education requirements. The designation is, and should be recognized as, a symbol of achievement.
Are there any discounts for repeating a seminar for CLS or LP credit?
Yes. A Certified Litigation Specialist ™ or a Litigation Professional is entitled to a $100 tuition reduction on each qualifying course that is repeated to maintain their CLS or LP status. That is in addition to the reduction offered to multiple attendants from the same agency, firm or other entity. Additionally, if a seminar is full, AELE guarantees an opening if a CLS or LP attendant registers at least four weeks in advance. This discount is only available to individuals who are repeating a seminar to maintain their CLS or LP status.
What happens after the designation expires and is not renewed?
You can state on your vita that you earned the designation, and the years of validity. Because a person’s employment or occupational specialty might change, you might choose not to renew the designation by repeating the qualifying seminars. That in no way detracts from the fact that you earned the designation during the period of validity.
What records are kept by AELE?
There is an archived, computer-based record of seminar attendance. A digital copy of a person’s CLS or LP achievement record is kept on file.
Once I have attended the qualifying seminars, how do I apply?
On the AELE website, click on the link for the CLS (or LP) form.
What if I have more questions?
Contact the staff via e-mail at staff@aele.org