U.S. attorneys interested in participating in the Multijurisdictional Practice Program (MJP) who intend to work as a Registered Legal Aid Attorney, Registered In-House Counsel, or Registered Military Spouse Attorney must meet the following common requirements in addition to the requirements indicated in the rules for the applicable program of interest.
An “active licensee in good standing of a United States state, jurisdiction, possession, territory, or dependency” means an attorney who:
(A) Is a licensee in good standing of the entity governing the practice of law in each jurisdiction in which the attorney is licensed to practice law, who has not been disbarred, has not resigned with charges pending, or is not suspended from practicing law for disciplinary misconduct in any other jurisdiction; and
(B) Remains an active licensee in good standing of the entity governing the practice of law in at least one U.S. state, jurisdiction, possession, territory, or dependency other than California while practicing law under the MJP in California.
Requirements for Supervising Attorneys
Supervising attorneys are required for participation in the Registered Legal Aid and Registered Military Spouse Attorney programs. A supervising attorney is also required in instances in which a Registered In-House Counsel is permitted to provide pro bono services. Supervising attorneys for applicable MJP programs must:
Application Process
To participate in any of the MJP programs, please read through the MJP Program Types to ensure that you meet program requirements.
To apply, please first create an account on the Applicant Portal. Within the portal, submit an Application for Registration, an Application for Determination of Moral Character, which includes compliance with rule 9.9.5 governing attorney fingerprinting, and the applicable MJP application.
If you have questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 213-765-1500.
Participation Requirements after Registration
After registering for participation in the MJP program, the MJP attorney will receive a standard certificate. The registered MJP attorney must comply with all annual application renewal requirements, including Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) compliance, payment of fees, and submission of an original certificate of good standing. The MJP attorney can practice in accordance with the rules while their Application for Determination of Moral Character is pending.
Annual registration fees can be paid and MCLE compliance can be reported by accessing your My State Bar Profile, while the Annual Renewal application to remain in the MJP program and other changes can be made through the Applicant Portal.
The registered MJP attorney will not be required to take the California Bar Examination. However, an attorney who has taken and failed the bar exam within five years immediately preceding the initial MJP application will not be eligible to participate in the MJP program. The MJP attorney who takes and fails the bar exam during their active MJP status will not be affected.
MCLE Requirements: All attorneys who participate in any MJP program must satisfy, in their first year of practice under the MJP rules, 25 hours of MCLE credits, including four hours of legal ethics; one hour of prevention, detection, and treatment of substance abuse; and one hour of elimination of bias in the legal profession. Like licensees of the State Bar of California, the MJP attorney must complete the 25-hour MCLE requirement every three years thereafter, according to the MJP attorney’s compliance group. If the MJP attorney is required to report in less than 36 months after the first year reporting period, the MCLE requirements will be reduced proportionally in accordance to the Proportional Requirement Table.
Change of Employment: All changes relating to residence, employment status, business address, business contact information, and personal contact information, while active in the MJP program, must be submitted online through the Applicant Portal, within 30 days. A change of employment must be reported online by submitting a “MJP Change of Employment Notice” available in the Applicant Portal.
Suspension and Terminations
Active MJP attorneys who no longer meet the qualifications to participate in the MJP programs will be suspended. After one year of suspension, the status will be terminated. In the event of termination, reinstatement to the MJP program requires that a new MJP application be submitted, and a new Application for Determination of Moral Character be filed if a current valid positive determination is not on record.