Practising Law Institute is a non-profit continuing legal education organization chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York. Founded in 1933, the company organizes and provides CLE programs around the world. Its programs are held in multiple locations including New York, California, Illinois, Washington D.C., Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, London, and Hong Kong. Programs are also offered in various formats, including live webcasts, MP3s, and on-demand videos. PLI's headquarters are located in New York City, New York; it also maintains an office in San Francisco, California.
History
Founded in 1933, PLI was established to offer courses in the practice of law for lawyers recently admitted to the bar and/or those seeking to learn the elements of practicing in the field. As the country was seeing a transition from apprenticeship to formal law school education, a New York City lawyer by the name of Harold P. Seligson recognized the need for practical training in law and originated a series of lectures called the "Practising Law Courses." These lectures would be the germination of the full-fledged Institute that exists today under the banner of Practising Law Institute. By 1939, the Institute had been formally chartered by the Regents of the State of New York. It was able to take advantage of certain historical forces, including the New Deal and the federal regulation of business activity it inspired. The Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, for example, initiated a new specialization in the law. This new specialization in turn created a need for a new kind of continuing legal education, which we see in practice today. As a not-for-profit educational organization, PLI continues to offer pro bono programs and scholarships to lawyers and student in need of assistance. In 2012, PLI awarded over 26,000 scholarships. On April 27, 2015 the PLI Board of Trustees formally installed Anita Carr Shapiro as its fifth president. She succeeded Victor J. Rubino, who was unanimously approved as President Emeritus after serving as PLI's President since 1983.
Mission
Practising Law Institute's mission statement, as stated on its website:
