The inability of a lawyer to continue practicing law, whether temporarily or permanently, is a risk that applies to all lawyers, regardless of age, firm size, or practice area. Lawyers need to know what to do if they face situations that could affect their work, including planned leave due to illness, unexpected illnesses, or sudden death.
This Senior Lawyers Ethics Resources page is a collection of resources addressing attorney professional responsibility issues related to succession planning, including those that arise in connection with retirement, disability, and death of attorneys. The resources include rules, advisory ethics opinions, articles, publications, and MCLE programs. Most of the links to these resources are internal links to other State Bar pages. Please note that some of the resources are external links to local or out-of-state bar association and other websites.
Additional resources regarding closing a law practice and attorney surrogacy are listed below.
The State Bar's Pro Bono Practice Program allows retired attorneys, as well as those taking a temporary break from the active practice of law, to assist low-income Californians on a pro bono basis.
The California Pro Bono Portal is a statewide portal that allows legal aid organizations across the state to post pro bono opportunities for potential volunteers to review and express interest in. The Portal was launched in 2024 and new opportunities are added regularly.
The State Bar also has a Pro Bono Opportunities Directory for attorneys and advocates interested in finding volunteer opportunities. The programs listed are nonprofit legal services organizations that receive funding through the State Bar Legal Services Trust Fund Program.
Ohio State University's cognitive screening test