Substantive written materials handouts, presentations, slides, or other documents that provider meaningful written explanations of the topics and legal authorities covered in the program. They must do more than list agenda items or display primary sources; they should contain analysis, discussion, and practical guidance at a level that allows an attorney to use the materials as a stand-alone reference after the course. Materials consisting only of brief bullet point outlines, agendas, unannotated copies of cases, statutes, or regulations, or slide decks that are mainly pictures, charts, or a few large font bullet points without explanatory text are not considered substantive.
What activities qualify for general MCLE credit?
Activities that qualify for general MCLE credit must: (1) relate to legal subjects that are directly relevant to California attorneys, and (2) offer current, significant educational, professional, or practical content with the specific objective of increasing each participant’s professional competency as an attorney. Programs created primarily for nonattorney audiences (for example, general public, clients, or business staff) do not qualify and will not be approved for general MCLE credit. More on Standards for MCLE activity Approval.
Are there separate Certificates of Attendance for speakers?
No. Except for the credit hours awarded, the certificate is the same for both speakers and nonspeakers.
Can a speaker receive credit as an attendee?
The speaker should receive credit for their attendance time less their speaking time. As an example, a speaker who speaks for 15 minutes during a 1-hour program would only be eligible for 45 minutes of attendance credit (i.e., 60 minutes of program time minus 15 minutes of speaking time = 45 minutes or 0.75 hours).
How are speaker credit hours calculated?
Regardless of the time increment, the speaker should be awarded their actual speaking time multiplied by four. For example, a speaker who speaks for 15 minutes would receive 1 hour of speaking credit (i.e., 0.25 hours x 4 = 1.00 hour speaking credit). Additionally, the speaker credit should be rounded to the nearest quarter-hour if necessary. For example, a speaker who speaks for 10 minutes should receive 45 minutes of speaking credit (i.e., 10 minutes x 4 rounded up to the nearest quarter-hour = 45 minutes or 0.75 hours).
Please note: Speaker credit should only be granted for the first presentation of a program. Speakers who repeat the same presentation should only receive attendance credit for that presentation.
How does a provider track attendance for participatory activities?
Providers can use the State Bar’s Record of Attendance form, or its equivalent, to take attendance. In addition to the California licensee’s name, State Bar number, and signature, the form must include the following information:
• The title of the MCLE activity;
• Date of the MCLE activity; and
• Total hours awarded, including any credit hours or partial credit hours awarded for legal ethics, recognition and elimination of bias, implicit bias, competence issues, or legal specialization as a component of the activity.
I am an approved SAP, so why am I not listed on the website?
Only MAPs are listed on the State Bar’s website. A provider with MAP status is considered to have demonstrated a strong understanding of both the standards for approval of MCLE activities and their responsibilities as outlined in the MCLE provider rules, and therefore, activities held by these providers are presumed to be approved by the State Bar.
How long does the provider’s status remain effective once approved?
A SAP’s application/program is approved for a period of two years from the date of the activity. An approval for MAP status is granted for a period of two years.
What types of legal education providers are approved in California?
There are two types of approved providers in California: Single Activity Providers and Multiple Activity Providers. A Single Activity Provider (SAP) is an organization approved to hold and grant Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) or Legal Specialty Minimum Continuing Legal Education (LSMCLE) credit for a single MCLE or LSMCLE activity for a period of two years from the date of the activity, provided that no substantive changes are made to the program. A SAP must apply for and receive approval of the activity in accordance with the State Bar’s procedures and pay applicable fee(s). More on becoming a Single Activity Provider
A Multiple Activity Provider (MAP) is an organization approved to hold and grant credit for any MCLE or LSMCLE activity for two years after applying for and receiving approval of MAP status in accordance with State Bar procedures and paying the applicable fee(s). Providers approved for MAP status do not have to submit separate applications to request approval for each program offered. More on becoming a Multiple Activity Provider
What is the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation?
The Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation (JNE; JNE Commission), is an agency of the State Bar created by statute for the express purpose of evaluating judicial candidates nominated by the Governor. The language of the statute, Government Code section 12011.5, is mandatory. It provides that, prior to exercising their constitutional right to make judicial appointments, the Governor shall submit to JNE the names of all potential appointees or nominees for judicial office for evaluation of their judicial qualifications. The commission operates pursuant to rules and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the State Bar.
Applications are available in the Applicant Portal. You must create an account using your name, email address, and password to gain access to the Applicant Portal.
I submitted my fingerprints through a Live Scan vendor and entered in the ATI number on the My State Bar Profile. Do I need to mail my Live Scan form to the State Bar?
No. Once you have submitted your fingerprints through a Live Scan vendor and received an ATI number, you should retain a copy of the Live Scan form for your records.
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What happens if I receive a noncompliance late penalty for failure to meet annual reporting requirements?
If you are assessed a noncompliance penalty, you will be removed from the installment plan and required to pay all remaining fees and costs in full by June 30, 2025.
Can I return to my pending PHV application in the Applicant Portal?
Maybe. If you click "Pause" while you are in the application, you will be able to return to the pending PHV application.
To return to the paused PHV application:
Log in to the Applicant Portal
Click "Special Admissions"
Click "Pro Hac Vice”
Under drafted applications, locate your PHV application and click "Resume."
You cannot return to a pending PHV application if you exited the application without clicking "Pause" or if a technical issue occurred that prevented you from clicking "Pause" before exiting the application. If this happens, you'll have to start over from the beginning.
The court or opposing counsel has reported or is required to notify the State Bar. Am I still required to report the event?
Yes. Even if you know that the court, opposing counsel, or some other entity has already made the report to the State Bar or is required to report to the State Bar, your obligation remains.[6]
Do I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes, most courses include either an MCLE certificate or a certificate of completion. You can download and print your certificate once you complete all course requirements. Certificates are only available for 30 days after you complete the course.
How do I access my purchased courses?
After purchase, your courses will be available under the "Learning Page" in your account.
Can I use these courses to satisfy a portion of my full MCLE requirement?
Yes. The State Bar New Attorney Training is not MCLE, however, new licensees can apply State Bar New Attorney Training hours to their MCLE requirement, provided that the hours are completed within the licensee’s MCLE compliance period. (Rule 2.142 of Title 2, Division 6, Chapter 1 of the Rules of the State Bar.)
By completing the entire New Attorney Training Program, you will complete 10 hours of MCLE credit, including 5.25 hours of legal ethics, 1.75 hours of general, 1 hours on competency, 1 hour on civility, and 1 hours on recognition and elimination of bias.
The title and the amount of credit offered by each course will depend on when the course was complete. See the table below.
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What does the State Bar do when a California attorney is convicted of a crime?
The convicted attorney, the district attorney and the court are each required, by law, to notify the State Bar any time that an attorney is arrested and charged with a crime or criminally convicted. These overlapping requirements help assure that the State Bar will be notified. When the State Bar receives such a report, the information is forwarded to the State Bar Court. Then it is handled in several different ways, depending upon the nature of the conviction.
If the attorney is convicted of a felony, they are placed on interim suspension pending a disciplinary hearing on the merits in State Bar Court. Attorneys convicted of a misdemeanor also are put on interim suspension if the crime involved "moral turpitude" by its very nature. Some crimes, such as theft, are designated by law as crimes involving moral turpitude.
But if the attorney's misdemeanor conviction does not by its very nature involve moral turpitude, they face a hearing in State Bar Court to determine the discipline, if any, to be imposed in the case.
I changed jobs this year. For the first part of the year, I was at a government agency and exempt from reporting. I’m now working at a law firm. Do I need to report?
Yes, an active licensee who met one of the exemptions in Business and Professions Code section 6073.2(d) for part of the year, but at any point in the year does not meet that exemption, is still required to report the amount of pro bono service hours provided in the past year. Even licensees who are exempt from reporting their pro bono hours must declare their exemption status in My State Bar Profile.
Does the Ethics Hotline provide advisory opinions?
Fees have not been set. By law, the program must be self-funded through certification fees. Attorney license fees may not be used to support the program.
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