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.
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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.
What activities qualify for general MCLE credit?
Activities that qualify for general MCLE credit are those that relate to legal subjects directly relevant to State Bar licensees and have current significant educational, professional, or practical content, with an objective to increase each participant’s professional competency as an attorney. Activities designed for nonattorney participants do not qualify and will not be approved for general MCLE credit. More on Standards for MCLE Activity Approval
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.
What is the role of the JNE Commission?
The role of the JNE Commission is to gather information about the candidates and to conduct a confidential evaluation of the judicial qualifications of candidates whose names have been submitted to the commission by the Governor and to report its findings, in absolute confidence, to the Governor.
The commission, in evaluating candidates, functions independently of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar. Board liaison attend the commission meetings periodically but do not participate in discussions, express opinions, or vote, and are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as commission members.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the State Bar?
Common questions
Can the State Bar help me find a lawyer for my legal problems?
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.
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 are those that relate to legal subjects directly relevant to State Bar licensees and have current significant educational, professional, or practical content, with an objective to increase each participant’s professional competency as an attorney. Activities designed for nonattorney participants 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.
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Is the State Bar, as an employer, participating in the program?
Yes. The State Bar earned the gold tier DEI Leadership Seal in January 2024. The State Bar recruited three impartial external reviewers to review and score the State Bar’s application and submitted materials.
Will I be assessed fees from the State Bar?
Yes. The 2025 annual fees will be available to calculate and pay online through My State Bar Profile effective February 1, 2025.
How and when will I receive notice of the annual fees?
You will be notified by email when you can access your annual fees through My State Bar Profile. It’s very important to update your contact information for official State Bar use so you’ll receive these and other important notifications. Group payments must be made through Agency Billing.
Early Neutral Evaluation Conferences
The commission explored the phase of the discipline process. The ENEC is a settlement conference held before OCTC files a Notice of Disciplinary Charge and its purpose is for all parties to obtain a judicial evaluation of the case. Attorneys facing discipline for criminal conviction matters are not given the option to settle their cases with an ENEC because the current statutory timeline does not allow sufficient time for an ENEC to be offered, scheduled, and conducted. Business and Professions Code section 6101 requires OCTC to transmit criminal conviction cases to the State Bar Court Review Department within 30 days of receipt if it determines that the case may or does involve moral turpitude.
As a result, the commission recommended that the Board of Trustees:
- Seek a statutory amendment to extend the deadline for the transmission of criminal conviction matters in misdemeanor cases to allow for an ENEC.
How can I file a complaint against an attorney?
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.
What is the purpose of this program?
The Leadership Bank program recognizes financial institutions that elect to waive fees and pay the established compliance interest rate, thereby increasing funding for free civil legal aid to low-income Californians through the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. Civil legal aid ensures that low-income individuals and families have access to attorneys and the legal system to address critical legal issues.
How can I file a complaint against a judge?
The Commission on Judicial Performance is the independent state agency responsible for investigating complaints of judicial misconduct and judicial incapacity and for disciplining judges. Here are instructions for filing a complaint against a judge.
How many JNE Commission members are assigned to investigate a candidate?
For Trial Court: Two or more commissioners, at least one of whom is an attorney member; for Supreme and Appellate Courts: Three or more commissioners, at least one of whom is a public member.
Can the JNE Commission nominate or appoint judges?
No, that is entirely a gubernatorial prerogative.
How far back can a provider seek retroactive approval for a single activity?
Up to two years from the date of the activity.
Do prerecorded recordings/CDs/webinars or on-demand activities qualify for participatory or self-study MCLE credit?
Prerecorded programs only qualify for self-study MCLE credit if the provider is able to verify attendance. If this is the case, then the prerecorded program may be eligible for participatory MCLE credit.
Can the same instructional time be applied to a legal specialty area and to one of the subfields?
Yes, the same instruction time can be allocated to a legal specialty area and to one of the subfields.
What is the deadline for scaling?
Payment and scaling declaration must be received by the State Bar of California no later than April 1, 2025, to qualify under the fee scaling criteria. Payments and fee scaling declarations submitted after April 1, 2025, will incur a penalty. The penalty will be eligible for fee scaling but reinstatement fees, if applicable, are not eligible for scaling.
Do I need to sign a fee scaling declaration?
Yes, the fee scaling declaration is available online through your My State Bar Profile.
Do I have to participate in the Fresh Start Settlement Program?
Your participation in this program is voluntary to resolve the debt that is owed to the State Bar. If you choose not to take advantage of the Fresh Start Settlement Program, the State Bar reserves all rights to pursue, or continue to pursue, any and all available legal remedies to recover the total owed debt, including without limitation reporting the debt to FTB, credit reporting agencies, entry of a Superior Court money judgment and/or pursuing legal actions.
If you were an active or voluntarily inactive licensee as of January 1, 2025 and do not participate in the Fresh Start Settlement Program, or are not able to reach a settlement, you are required to pay your outstanding discipline costs, monetary sanctions and/or Client Security Fund reimbursements as originally ordered by the Supreme Court of California, State Bar Court and/or the Client Security Fund. If you were granted an extension of time to pay costs, your extension order will still be valid.
I am not allowed to practice law as of January 1, 2025, and am experiencing extreme financial hardship, and cannot settle for the amount offered. What can I do?
If you reject the settlement offer and are experiencing extreme financial hardship, please enter an amount you would be able to pay on the feedback form or indicate in the comments that you are experiencing financial hardship. You will receive an email with a link to a questionnaire about your financial situation. All information and attachments will be kept securely and confidentially. The State Bar will review the answers in your questionnaire and email a response from eConciliador.
What happens to my installment plan granted by State Bar Court, if I settle through the Fresh Start Settlement Program?
Settlements made through the Fresh Start Settlement Program will supersede any existing installment order from State Bar Court.
How will settling through Fresh Start affect my potential for reinstatement? What is the process for reinstatement?
If you reach a settlement and complete payment through the Fresh Start Settlement Program, the State Bar will thereafter consider the eligible debt as itemized on your Fresh Start Settlement Program account paid in full for all purposes, including petitioning for reinstatement to the practice of law. This is not to imply reinstatement is automatic or guaranteed; standard reinstatement petition procedures would be required. Further, settlement through Fresh Start will not resolve outstanding probationary obligations or other outstanding costs, such as unpaid annual licensee fees and penalties, unpaid compliance fee and penalties, payments due to LAP, restitution due directly to individuals, etc. The program's settlement authority is limited to debt; we do not have legal authority to change other legal requirements for reinstatement to the practice of law.
For further information regarding reinstatement, please visit the State Bar Court website and see the FAQs. If you have a specific question about the court's reinstatement procedures that is not answered on the website, please call the court's main lines: 213-765-1400 in Los Angeles and 415-538-2050 in San Francisco. However, the court cannot provide specific advice on whether you are eligible for reinstatement.
Can employers with offices both in and out of California (such as national or international law firms) participate in the program?
Yes. Employers may choose to commit to and implement the Action Items for either their entire firm or only their California offices. If an employer commits to and implements the Action Items for specific offices, only those offices would be listed as participating employers and eligible to use the DEI Leadership Seal on their materials.
My employer is already a seal recipient, but we have implemented more Action Items and want to move up to a higher tier. What are the next steps? What documentation is required?
DEI Leadership Seal recipients who want to advance tiers must complete and submit a DEI Leadership Seal Tier Advancement Application and supporting documentation. The State Bar will provide several opportunities throughout the year for seal recipients to submit this documentation and advance tiers. Seal recipients that want to advance tiers must still submit an attestation form to affirm implementation of the Action Items for which their materials have already been reviewed and approved.
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