I work part-time at a government agency. Do I need to report?
Yes. Business and Professions Code section 6073.2(d)(2) only applies to full-time employees or officers or elected officials of the State of California, or political subdivision thereof, or the federal government. Part-time employees are required to report either the amount of pro bono service hours provided in the past year, that they did not track their pro bono or reduced fee legal services hours, that they did not complete any pro bono or reduced fee legal services hours, or that they decline to answer.
How do I make changes to the response I submitted?
Prior to the March 30, 2026, deadline, you can make changes to your pro bono hours reporting by going to My State Bar Profile, navigating to the Summary tab (located on the top navigation bar), and selecting “Edit your Pro Bono Hours” from the Pro Bono Hours tile (located about three-quarters of the way down the page).
Does the State Bar have a program for attorneys who only want to do pro bono work?
The State Bar’s Pro Bono Practice Program (PBPP) allows attorneys who would otherwise be inactive to maintain an active license, free of fees, to exclusively provide pro bono legal services in partnership with a pro bono legal services provider. To qualify for the PBPP, an attorney must maintain an active license, submit an application annually for the program, be certified as a pro bono practice attorney, and exclusively provide pro bono legal services through an approved or qualified pro bono services provider. For more information, see the Pro Bono Practice Program webpage.
How do I track and report my pro bono or reduced fee legal services hours?
Attorneys are expected to track their own hours for the purposes of this reporting requirement. Some law firms require their attorneys to track this time already. A nonprofit with whom the attorney provides pro bono legal services may assist in tracking hours.
Attorneys are asked to report pro bono and reduced fee hours as a range (e.g., 1–5 hours, 6–10 hours, 11–19 hours, etc.). Attorneys will also be able to select 0 hours or less than 1 hour of pro bono or reduced fee legal services hours, or select the checkbox if you did not track your hours or you prefer not to answer.
Does volunteering with an LRS oversight panel count as pro bono legal services?
Possibly. Uncompensated work with an LRS oversight panel may count toward the pro bono hours requirement if it enables the delivery of legal services at a charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or education organization in matters in furtherance of its organizational purposes as defined under Business and Professions Code section 6073.1(c)(1)(C). Licensees should use their best judgment when determining whether the work performed, particularly non-legal tasks, enables the direct provision of legal work to the indigent or other nonprofit organizations.
Does uncompensated work by volunteer attorneys at a legal aid organization or law school, or as a court mediator, count as pro bono legal services?
Yes. Uncompensated work by volunteer attorneys that enables the delivery of legal services at a charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or education organization in matters in furtherance of its organizational purposes would qualify as bono hours as defined under Business and Professions Code section 6073.1(c)(1)(C). This includes volunteer teaching at a law school as well as volunteer mediation or arbitration services provided through a court, even when the parties are not indigent.
Does serving on the board of a local or affinity bar association count as pro bono legal services?
It depends. Service to a local or affinity bar association counts toward the pro bono hours requirement if it is legal in nature (i.e., providing legal services to the nonprofit directly pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 6073.1(c)(1)(B) or 6073.1(c)(1)(C)). General board service qualifies only to the extent that the work enables legal services to the indigent, to another “charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or educational organization in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means,” or to another “charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, or educational organization in matters in furtherance of its organizational purposes.” Licensees should use their best good-faith judgment in determining whether their non-legal board activities enable the direct provision of legal work to the indigent or other nonprofits.
Does serving on the board of a legal aid organization count as pro bono legal services?
For purposes of this reporting requirement, board service for a legal aid nonprofit would qualify because all board work with such an organization is enabling the delivery of legal services to the indigent (since these organizations primarily serve indigent California residents). Please note that some legal aid providers and other nonprofits for which attorneys provide pro bono legal services may also ask attorneys to report pro bono hours, but the definition for pro bono legal services may vary for their purposes. Attorneys should confirm definitions with the entity before reporting pro bono hours to the entity.
What are some examples of pro bono legal services?
Pro bono opportunities vary depending on the needs of the client community. Examples of pro bono legal services to indigent clients may include, but are not limited to:
Representation (full or limited scope)
Negotiation and settlement
Screening and intake
Brief service by phone or in person
Legal information or “Know Your Rights” workshops
Document preparation and review
Legal research and writing
Litigation support
Legislative research and legal analysis
What is the guidance on pro bono and reduced fee hours reporting for pro bono professionals, law school professors, and attorneys employed at law schools?
Any active licensee who does not meet one of the exemptions in Business and Professions Code section 6073.2(d) is required to report the amount of pro bono service hours provided in the past year, including pro bono professionals, law school professors, and attorneys employed at law schools. Attorneys are asked to provide their best, good faith effort at reporting the amount of pro bono and/or reduced fee legal services hours provided to low-income individuals, nonprofit organizations, or public law libraries during the past year to meet the requirement of Business and Professions Code section 6073.2. Even licensees who are exempt from reporting their pro bono hours must declare their exemption status in My State Bar Profile.
How do I file a complaint against my lawyer or a lawyer referral service?
If you believe your lawyer has done something wrong, you can file a complaint with the State Bar. Complaints may be submitted online or by mail. If you have questions or need assistance in completing the form, call the State Bar’s Attorney Complaint Hotline at 800-843-9053. For more information on reporting a lawyer to the State Bar and handling other problems, read the legal guide If You Have a Problem with an Attorney.
If you have a complaint about a certified or uncertified LRS, you can file a complaint against the service with the State Bar. In order to promote public protection, the State Bar will review your complaint to determine if the LRS has violated Business and Professions Code Section 6155 and State Bar Rules.
For more information on certified lawyer referral services, contact LRS@calbar.ca.gov.
When are the annual fees due?
The due date is by March 30, or the next business day if that date falls on a weekend or holiday, each year during the annual license renewal process. The 2025 annual deadline is April 1, 2025. If you miss the deadline, you will be charged a penalty ($103 for active attorneys, $31 for inactive attorneys).
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.
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.
What happens if I choose not to get fingerprinted?
Failure to comply with State Bar fingerprinting rule requirements will result in the suspension of your license.
What programs receive IOLTA grants?
Approximately 100 legal service programs statewide receive IOLTA grants to provide much needed civil legal services to the most under-represented communities in California whose basic human needs are at stake, such as shelter, sustenance, safety, health, or child custody.
Many of the programs specialize in meeting the legal needs of particularly vulnerable groups such as children, homeless people, migrant workers, immigrants, Native Americans, persons with disabilities, seniors, and the institutionalized.
How do I request fee arbitration?
To initiate fee arbitration, you must complete a fee arbitration request form from the appropriate bar association and submit the filing fee set by the particular program. Find local fee arbitration programs here. Attach copies of any documents requested on the form. You should include information that specifically relates to the attorney's fees and costs and explain why you believe the attorney's fees are excessive or that no additional fees are owed. You will have an opportunity to present additional information at the arbitration hearing.
General Services
Supports the work of all other State Bar offices by providing a comprehensive range of facilities, administrative, and procurement services. The office manages office space for State Bar staff and tenants in San Francisco and Los Angeles. It provides administrative support services including document imaging and printing; mail and courier services; offsite file storage; meeting and conference support; and travel services. The office also manages the State Bar’s procurement and contracting process, ensuring compliance with competitive bidding requirements and other policies.
I didn’t save my Tester ID and cannot find the email. What do I do?
If you completed your test and received your certificate of completion, you do not need to do anything. If you need to complete a test, access a certificate of completion, or save a receipt after the fact, you need the Tester ID. If you cannot locate your ID, please contact us at feedback@calbar.ca.gov.
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What is the cost for the drug or alcohol testing?
The cost for drug testing varies by frequency and the type of test. Most tests are about $85 per test, which is paid to LAP’s contracted testing provider. The lab that is used for biological fluid collection, may assess an additional fee.
What happens at a fee arbitration hearing?
Arbitration hearings are informal, but you should obtain a copy of the rules of procedure from the program handling your fee dispute to educate yourself about the process.
The program will assign your dispute to a volunteer attorney arbitrator who must be licensed in good standing with the State Bar. Depending on the amount of your fee dispute, the panel will consist of one attorney arbitrator, or a three-member panel consisting of two attorney arbitrators and one nonattorney arbitrator.
You may be represented by a attorney, but it is not necessary. You can arrange for an interpreter to attend the hearing with you.
Both you and the attorney will have a chance to make statements, ask each other questions, and present evidence, such as letters, billing statements, or the fee agreement. You may also present witnesses, for example, someone who heard you and your attorney agree to the fee. If you have problems obtaining papers needed for the hearing from the opposing attorney, you may ask the arbitration panel to intervene.
If you think you will need moral support, ask the arbitrator if a family member or friend can accompany you to the hearing. Fee arbitration hearings may be closed to everyone else except the witnesses while they are testifying.
Most local bar programs don’t allow the arbitration hearing to be recorded or transcribed for confidentiality reasons.
Also, keep in mind that fee arbitration aims to determine if the fee amount is appropriate for the attorney’s work on your case. Arbitrators also consider the attorney’s performance in your case to reach their decision, but they cannot award any additional money for what may be attorney malpractice or professional misconduct.
Can an attorney refuse to arbitrate a disputed fee?
If you choose to arbitrate, the attorney must do so in most cases. Exceptions include these situations:
Fees set by law or the courts, such as the ordinary charges for probating a will, or attorney’s fees that a judge orders one spouse to pay the other in a divorce.
Fees charged by an attorney who is not a member of the State Bar of California, who does not have offices in California, and who did the majority of the work for you out of state.
Fee disputes in which you or the attorney filed a suit, and the attorney notified you of your right to arbitrate, using the required State Bar form, but you filed a suit or answered a suit in court before requesting arbitration.
Fee disputes in which you are not the attorney’s client, unless you paid fees to the attorney for a client.
Where can I find information about opening and closing a law practice?
The State Bar offers information for attorneys on subjects such as starting a limited liability partnership, rules about starting a law corporation, and closing a practice.
How do I report my MCLE compliance?
All attorneys (except those on voluntary inactive status) report MCLE compliance by submitting a statement of compliance to the State Bar. Compliance must be reported through your My State Bar Profile. View more MCLE compliance information.
What are some examples of exempt and nonexempt attorneys?
Exempt
Attorney employees of California Superior Courts
Attorneys employed by the State of California who pass judgment or opinion on the law as part of their job duties.
Law Clerks provided they are employed on a permanent or probationary basis
Attorneys employed by the military services (acting within the scope of their employment)
Nonexempt:
Attorneys employed by the University of California
Attorneys employed by the State Bar of California
District attorneys and public defenders
Annuitants, contractors, and consultants
Attorneys performing work on behalf of the State or Federal Government as part of their employment by a nongovernment entity.
Do I need to identify myself in any particular way?
Yes. When providing legal services pursuant to rule 9.46, you must use the title "Registered In-House Counsel." That title may not be used in connection with any other activities, and you may not in any way hold yourself out as a member of the State Bar of California.
Do I need to identify myself in any particular way?
Yes. When providing legal services pursuant to rule 9.45, you must use the title "Registered Legal Services Attorney." That title may not be used in connection with any other activities, and you may not in any way hold yourself out as a licensed attorney of the State Bar of California.
Am I eligible if I am a California resident?
No. (Rule 9.47 & 9.48)
Do I have to take the California bar exam?
No. You must meet all of the requirements for admission to the California bar except that you do not need to take the bar exam or the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam.
If I have been disciplined by an attorney regulatory or other regulatory agency, does my disciplinary history affect my eligibility?
No. Notwithstanding a prior disciplinary history, if you are currently licensed and entitled to practice law, you may register as a legal services attorney. However, a record of discipline could lead to an adverse moral character determination depending on the nature of the circumstances leading to the imposition of discipline, the nature and amount of rehabilitation that has taken place, and the length of time since the events that led to discipline. For more information, go to www.calbar.ca.gov>Bar Exam>Moral Character.
Will registered legal services attorneys or in-house counsel receive a certificate of registration?
Yes. They will receive a standard certificate once the registration process is complete.
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