Frequently Asked Questions: General

Go to the Attorneys area. In addition, attorneys may call Licensee Regulation and Compliance at 888-800-3400 for questions about licensing duties and responsibilities.

By statute, the State Bar is required to maintain certain information about California attorneys. Go to Look Up A Lawyer and follow the directions. For information about hiring an attorney, see our Need Legal Help section.

The State Bar does not refer clients to lawyers or provide legal advice. We provide a directory of certified Lawyer Referral Services in your area who may be able to help you find a lawyer. Please see our Find Legal Professionals section for resources. The State Bar also publishes free legal information for consumers.

The Contact webpage lists offices and phone numbers.

You can file a complaint online.  If you prefer, you can download a complaint form, fill it out, and return it by mail. If you have questions about what information to provide on a complaint form, please call 800-843-9053.

The State Bar of California licenses more than 250,000 attorneys. For more details, go to Bar Numbers.

Information about becoming an attorney is in the Admissions section. There you'll find additional information about getting a legal education. You can also find information about taking the California Bar Exam.

The State Bar's Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission (JNE) reviews the qualifications of judicial nominees submitted by the governor of California. Find additional information about JNE, including how to serve on the commission.

You can find information about Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) compliance requirements and providers.

Go to the Public section.