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.
May a non-California attorney register as both a legal services attorney and in-house counsel?
Yes, if the attorney meets the eligibility requirements for each category.
What constitutes a transaction or other non-litigation matter?
A transaction or other non-litigation matter refers to any legal matter other than litigation, arbitration, mediation, or a legal action before an administrative decision-maker.
Will I receive a receipt following my renewal?
To request a receipt of your MJP renewal fees, please call Member Records and Billing at 888-800-3400. Press "0" and a representative will assist you.
What is IOLTA?
IOLTA stands for Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts. Attorneys deposit client funds that they plan to hold briefly, or that are too small to earn interest for the client, into larger shared accounts. Over 73,000 attorneys make deposits in approximately 49,000 IOLTA accounts in California. As of September 2019, IOLTA accounts hold nearly $5 billion. Any interest earned on these accounts is paid by financial institutions to the State Bar, which in turn distributes those funds as grants to qualified nonprofit civil legal organizations throughout the state.
Refer to the State Bar’s IOLTA FAQ page for more information.
The court must approve your application in order for you to appear as PHV in a case. While the State Bar's Applicant Portal may show that your PHV case is "approved," this refers to the internal processing of your application and should not be taken as the court's approval of your appearance as PHV.
Do I have to pass an exam?
Yes. The course includes a Final Assessment. You must receive a passing score of 80 percent to complete the course.
Does the New Attorney Training Program apply to attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions who have been newly admitted to the State Bar of California?
Yes. All persons newly admitted to the State Bar of California are required to complete the New Attorney Training Program.
I am trying to complete my course but can’t get the “NEXT” button to work.
Make sure that you have completed all interactive elements on the screen. The “NEXT” button will only activate once all of the screen elements have been completed. In addition, please allow the screen seek bar to progress on its own. If you manually drag it to complete the course, the “NEXT” button may not activate properly.
What kinds of violations typically result in disbarment and other levels of discipline?
Each case is different. But most disbarred attorneys fall into one of two categories: They committed a very serious violation, such as perjury or stealing client funds, or they have a history of misconduct.
Reproval, either public or private, usually is reserved for first-time offenders whose misconduct falls on the low end of the scale.
For example, abandoning one client might lead to a private reproval or remedial action, such as Ethics School. Abandoning 12 clients, however, would likely result in much more serious discipline.
An attorney is placed on probation so that his or her conduct in the practice of law can be monitored - much like supervised probation in the criminal justice system.
Occasionally, another practicing attorney -- serving as a probation monitor -- meets with the disciplined attorney. The disciplined attorney then files regular reports and could be required to meet special conditions during the probationary period. Most conditions of probation are monitored by the Probation Unit.
How long is Client Trust Accounting School, and will I receive MCLE credit?
The course is approximately one and a half hours long, but you may complete it at your own pace and save your progress.
If you are taking the course as the result of being disciplined by the State Bar, CLE credit is not available. Attorneys completing the course for this purpose must submit a certificate of completion to the Office of Case Management and Supervision upon completion of the course.
If you are taking this course as a condition of an abeyance stipulation related to an Application for Determination of Moral Character, MCLE credit is not available. Individuals completing the course for this purpose must submit a certificate of completion to the Office of Admissions upon conclusion of the course.
When browsing the course catalog, select “CTA School—Client Trust Accounting Rules and Regulations.” Do not select the course that covers similar content (e.g., “Client Trust Accounting Rules and Regulations”). Taking any similar voluntary course will not satisfy your mandatory obligation to complete the course, whether mandated by an order of the California Supreme Court or the State Bar Court, or required by the Office of Admissions. To satisfy a mandatory obligation, you must take the mandatory CTA School course, which is not eligible for MCLE credit.
Who can use the Ethics Hotline?
This service is available to all licensed attorneys so long as the question is not related to a pending disciplinary investigation or case with the State Bar.
When will the tentative proposal be released?
A date has not been set. It depends on when subgroups finish their recommendations and the Working Group approves its complete tentative proposal.
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