The Spring Bridge the Gap program will be held on Monday, April 20th at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. Registration for the Bridge the Gap program will open on February 2, 2026. Notice will be placed in the Bar Blast. Those wishing to register may do so by visiting the State Bar’s event page. This course has been approved for 7 CLE Credit Hours, including 5 in ethics.

Newly admitted members of the State Bar are required to complete a mandatory Bridge the Gap program sponsored by the State Bar within twenty-four months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar.  Attendance to Bridge the Gap is free to newly admitted members of the State Bar. 

Exemptions for completing Bridge the Gap program are as follows:

• The member can certify having been admitted to practice in another jurisdiction for a minimum of five years

• The commission can certify that the member has completed a comparable mandatory new lawyer training offered by the State Bar of another jurisdiction, in which the member is admitted, of at least seven credits, including two credits of legal ethics, law office management, attorney well-being, or elimination of bias in the legal profession

Members meeting these requirements may apply for exemption by completing the Bridge the Gap Exemption Request Form. This form must be completed within 24 months after admission to the West Virginia State Bar. To complete the BTG Exemption Form or for more information regarding Bridge the Gap please visit: https://wvyounglawyers.com/members/bridge-the-gap/

The next Bridge the Gap program is scheduled for October 29, 2026 at the Bridgeport Conference Center.