News

The State Bar published its 2025 Digital Annual Report today, outlining a year defined by operational resilience, major system challenges and improvements, and investments in public protection and access to justice.

The State Bar of California seized the illegal business of Irene Carlota Raygoza of Livermore after a couple filed a complaint that her mishandling of their immigration case left one of their sons at risk of having to leave the United States for up to 22 years, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel announced today.

The Committee of Bar Examiners approved a bar exam options risk-benefit analysis and recommended that the California Supreme Court adopt the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ NextGen Uniform Bar Exam for administration beginning in July 2028.

The California Supreme Court disbarred attorney John Charles Eastman today. This after the State Bar Court Review Department in July 2025 affirmed the findings of the State Bar Court Hearing Department’s March 2024 recommendation, which found Eastman culpable of 10 out of 11 charges for egregious and deceitful conduct and recommended his disbarment.

The State Bar filed an amicus brief Friday, April 3, in support of four law firms targeted by the Trump Administration’s executive orders for the firms’ representation of clients unpopular with the administration. And on Monday, April 6, the State Bar’s Executive Director Laura Enderton-Speed and Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on a proposed DOJ rule change that would impact California’s ability to effectively protect the public in conducting discipline investigations of DOJ attorneys.

The State Bar of California’s Legal Services Trust Fund Commission released its 2020–2024 impact report―Strengthening Legal Aid: Five Years of Strategic Investment―which details how the State Bar invested approximately $628 million through grant funds to strengthen California’s civil legal aid network and deliver over $1 billion in economic impact.

The State Bar of California filed an amended complaint Wednesday against ProctorU, dba Meazure Learning (Meazure Learning), the vendor it contracted with to facilitate the remote and in-person administration of the February 2025 California Bar Exam, the Office of General Counsel announced today.

At its February 26–27, 2026, meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the final 2026 State Bar budget. The 2026 budget includes total projected revenue of $374.5 million and total expenses of $463.5 million, resulting in a budgeted deficit of $89.0 million.

At its joint meeting on Friday, January 23, 2026, the Board of Trustees and the Committee of Bar Examiners voted to explore a plan that could have the State Bar, beginning in 2028, administer the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ NextGen Uniform Bar Examination, without a California-specific component.

The State Bar of California is inviting a new round of legal employers across the state to apply for its DEI Leadership Seal—a distinction recognizing organizations that commit to and implement research-driven actions that further workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession. Applications are due March 27, 2026.

The State Bar of California announced today that it seized the illegal business of Teresita Garcia of Upland on Friday, January 9, 2026, after receiving complaints—confirmed by Garcia’s former employee—that Garcia represented herself as an attorney when she has never been licensed to practice law in California.

The State Bar of California seized the business of Jose Baez of West Covina on Friday, December 19, 2025, for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (UPL), the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) announced today.

The State Bar of California announced today that six new organizations received its DEI Leadership Seal, and another four organizations have committed to earn a seal.

A new impact brief from the State Bar of California’s Office of Access & Inclusion warns that budget cuts could undermine California’s legal aid infrastructure, threatening access to justice for millions of low- and middle-income residents.

At its November 20–21 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved raising Admissions Fund fees based on the recommended staff option, except for general applicants for the California Bar Exam and applicants for the Practical Training of Law Students program. Those fees will only be increased by the Consumer Price Index (3.3 percent). The Board’s action—to be implemented in 2026—will begin to address a critical structural deficit and rebuild depleted reserves that have been strained by unanticipated costs resulting from the February 2025 exam, including several million dollars in fee waivers issued as part of remedial measures and the return to in-person administration.

The State Bar of California reported Friday that 54.8 percent of exam takers passed the July 2025 General Bar Examination (GBX).

The State Bar of California convened the 2025 Veterans’ Legal Services Roundtable at its San Francisco office on September 26, bringing together more than 20 legal service providers, government agencies, and community advocate organizations dedicated to serving California’s veterans. Hosted by the State Bar’s Office of Access & Inclusion, the roundtable explored new and ongoing legal challenges facing veterans amid rapidly evolving federal policies and complex support systems.

The State Bar of California launched its mandatory Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) compliance review today. Beginning September 29 through October 31, 2025, the State Bar will randomly select and notify 100 attorneys representing a cross-section of the attorney population to complete a CTAPP compliance review for reporting year 2024.

The State Bar of California Board of Trustees marked a historic leadership transition at its September 19 meeting, as Board Chair José Cisneros, Vice-Chair Mark Toney, PhD, and new Trustee David Jargiello were sworn into office by the California Supreme Court Associate Justice Martin J. Jenkins. All three were appointed to their new roles by the California Supreme Court.

On the first day of its two-day meeting, the Board of Trustees announced its appointment of Laura Enderton-Speed as the State Bar’s next Executive Director. Enderton-Speed is currently the director of the Leadership Support Services Office at the Judicial Council of California.