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.
An attorney who is licensed to practice law in one or more U.S. jurisdictions other than California, resides in California, provides legal services as in-house counsel for a single qualifying institution in California, and is registered by the State Bar of California. See General Information FAQs for additional information.
If I failed the California Bar Exam after my registration as a registered legal services attorney, would my status be affected?
No. If you have successfully registered as a legal services attorney, your status will not change if you thereafter fail the California Bar Exam.
Under 9.46, may a non-California attorney register to work with more than one qualifying institution?
In-House Counsel may only register to work with a single qualifying institution.
Am I eligible if I have resigned with charges pending, or been disbarred or suspended from the practice of law in any other jurisdiction?
No.
How can I get a hard copy of the renewal packet?
Renewal packets are available by calling the Office of Admissions at 213-765-1519 or by sending an e-mail to mjp@calbar.ca.gov.
Should I use a specific browser to access the AIMS?
For maximum performance, you should use Google Chrome to access the AIMS.
As of April 5, 2019, Salesforce no longer supports Internet Explorer 9, 10, and 11. We recommend you move to a supported browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
For all browsers, enable JavaScript, cookies, and TLS 1.2. If TLS 1.2 isn’t available, enable TLS 1.1. Browsers that don’t support TLS 1.1 or TLS 1.2 won’t be able to access Salesforce after we deactivate TLS 1.0. Deactivation has already occurred in sandbox orgs and concludes with production orgs on July 22, 2017.
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What security training and certification do Live Scan vendors complete in order to submit fingerprints to the DOJ?
The State Bar has no authority and involvement with the security training and certification of Live Scan vendors. California law requires any individual who rolls fingerprints manually or electronically for licensure, certification and/or employment purposes to be certified by the state Department of Justice (Penal Code section 11102.1). For more information go to the California Department of Justice website.
Is the State Bar covering the costs of fingerprinting?
No. However, attorneys granted a specified fee reduction at 25 or 50 percent rate will be eligible to receive a one-time credit on their annual billing to cover a portion of the DOJ and FBI processing fees.
I am an inactive attorney. Do I need to satisfy the fingerprinting rule requirements?
No. Currently, you are not required to take any action. Prior to returning to active status, you will be required to satisfy the fingerprinting rule requirements.
I practice under my birth/maiden name but my identification is in my legal/married name.
After you print your Live Scan form, when you add in other required information, you can add your other/legal name to the form by writing it in the space labeled “Other Name (AKA or Alias)” that appears underneath your name of record on the form.
I didn’t pass the bar exam. How do I sign up for the next one?
The California Bar Exam is scheduled two times a year in February and July. The application as an immediate repeater is available online after the results are posted, usually in mid-May and mid-November. You can register for the next exam on the State Bar website. After the deadline, you will have to pay a late fee.
Who is included in randomized search results?
Randomized search results include all attorneys licensed by the State Bar:
who are on Active status who meet the search criteria, and
who have not opted-out of this feature.
How much credit do I get for attending a participatory education activity?
If an activity or provider is approved by California, the provider is required to give a certificate of attendance for participatory education activities that lists total credit hours and the number of those total hours allocated to the special requirements (i.e. legal ethics; detection, prevention and treatment of substance abuse; and elimination of bias in the legal profession). An attorney can claim credit only for the amount of time actually attended.
For information about attending a participatory activity outside California, go to Approved Jurisdictions.
What is the Client Security Fund and how does it work?
The Client Security Fund represents reimburses clients who have lost money or property due to theft or other dishonest act by a California lawyer acting in a professional capacity. Supported entirely by lawyers' annual fees, the fund reimburses eligible applicants up to $100,000. See the State Bar pamphlet "The Client Security Fund Can Help You."
What is the Advanced Attorney Search feature?
The Advanced Attorney Search is a feature which can be:
helpful in finding a particular attorney when a person doesn't know the attorney's exact name or bar number.
used by potential new clients who are seeking representation and would like to search for attorneys that meet some basic criteria.
Call the State Bar’s telephone line to assist you in locating the nearest lawyer referral service. The toll-free number for callers inside California is 1-866-442-2529 (1-866-44CALAW). Callers outside California can dial 1-415-538-2250.
Do I have to be a permanent or probationary employee in order to be exempt?
Yes. However, retired attorneys (annuitants) and consultants do not meet the standard of being a permanent or probationary employee and are not exempt from MCLE compliance.
I joined the Bar towards the end of the compliance period. How do I calculate my proportional hours?
This link includes a table you can use to verify your proportional requirement:
