Will you send me a reminder before my deadline? Will there be a reminder in My State Bar Profile?
No. The State Bar will not send a reminder before your NAT completion deadline. You are personally responsible for tracking and meeting your deadline.
If you do not complete NAT by your deadline, the State Bar will send you a notice of noncompliance. The notice will explain that you must complete NAT and pay any assessed noncompliance penalty to avoid being enrolled as inactive and becoming ineligible to practice law.
Because NAT is a onetime requirement, it may not appear in the same area of My State Bar Profile as your annual MCLE compliance obligations. Remember to:
Keep your email address and mailing address current with the State Bar,
Review your notifications in My State Bar Profile regularly, and
Complete NAT well before your deadline.
If I miss the deadline, how do I pay the noncompliance penalty?
If you do not complete NAT by your deadline, you will be assessed a noncompliance penalty, which may take up to 90 days to appear in My State Bar Profile. To pay the noncompliance penalty:
Select “Compliance Dashboard” in the top navigation menu.
In the “Annual License Fee Status” section, select “Pay your annual fees.”
Select “Calculate and pay my fees.”
Follow the instructions to pay any outstanding balance.
Even after a noncompliance penalty has been assessed, you are still required to complete NAT. If you do not complete NAT and resolve any assessed fees by the applicable deadlines, you may be enrolled as involuntarily inactive and become ineligible to practice law.
What is the New Attorney Training Program?
The State Bar of California’s New Attorney Training (NAT) Program is a mandatory online training program for all newly admitted California attorneys. It consists of nine State Bar–produced courses covering professional responsibilities and practical skills for practicing law. The courses may be completed in any order and at your own pace.
Topic
MCLE Credit
Attorney as an Officer of the Court—Civility and Pro Bono Legal Services
1.0 hour of Civility
Attorney Communication Duties
1.25 hours of Legal Ethics
Attorney Well-Being: The Bedrock of Competence
1.0 hour of Competence: Prevention and Detection
Attorney-Client Relationships
1.25 hours of Legal Ethics
Conflict Resolution, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Technology
0.75 hours of General
Elimination of Bias
1.0 hour of Elimination of Bias
Introduction to Law Practice Management Skills
1.0 hour of General
The Attorney as a Fiduciary of Funds and Property of Clients and Others
1.5 hours of Legal Ethics
The Duty of Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest
1.25 hours of Legal Ethics
Can I claim MCLE credit for NAT courses?
The State Bar’s New Attorney Training is a separate requirement and is not MCLE. However, you may apply NAT course hours toward your MCLE requirements if you complete the hours during your first MCLE compliance period. (Rule 2.142.) Review your MCLE requirements, including any proportional requirement, to determine whether and how the NAT hours apply to your situation.
When is my deadline to complete NAT?
You must complete NAT by the last day of the month of your one-year anniversary as a State Bar licensee. (Rule 2.141.)
For example, if you were admitted on October 15, your deadline is October 31 of the following year. If you have a question about your deadline, complete the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.
How do I access the New Attorney Training?
The New Attorney Training Program courses can be accessed through My State Bar Profile. The fee to access all nine courses is $55. Fee waivers are not available.
Locate the e-learning section toward the bottom of the home page, and select “E-Learning Portal.”
On the E-Learning Dashboard’s top navigation bar, select “View Catalog.”
In the search box, type “New Attorney Training.”
Select “Add to Cart” and complete the checkout process.
After you purchase the courses, when you return to the E-Learning Dashboard, select “Not Started” to locate the course you want to start. Then, select the red + button to the right of the course title, and select “Launch.”
Can I get a fee waiver for the course?
No. Fee waivers are not available. The fee to access all nine NAT courses is $55.
Can I request an exemption or time extension?
There are no exemptions from the NAT requirement. (Rule 2.143.)
Time extensions are granted only in rare cases involving documented personal hardship. (Rule 2.144.) If you believe you have a qualifying hardship, submit the applicable State Bar request as soon as possible and ideally before your NAT deadline, if feasible.
Submitting a request does not excuse compliance unless the State Bar grants it. Do not delay beginning or completing NAT while awaiting a decision.
I’m a former Provisional Licensure Program (PLP) participant and was recently admitted. Do I need to take NAT again?
If you completed any portion of NAT while enrolled in the State Bar’s PLP, you are considered to have satisfied that portion of the NAT requirement and do not need to retake it. Make sure you complete all nine NAT courses by the deadline.
Check your E-Learning Portal to confirm that your completed courses are reflected. If a completed course does not appear in your record, contact elearning@calbar.ca.gov for assistance.
As a federal or state employee, am I exempt from completing NAT?
No. Although certain federal or state employees may be exempt from the general MCLE requirement, there are no exemptions from the NAT requirement for new licensees. (Rule 2.143.) You must complete NAT by your one-year admission anniversary deadline.
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.
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.
Are there any special advertising requirements?
Yes. You must indicate on any advertising accessible in California (including internet ads) either that you are not a California bar attorney or that you are admitted to practice only in the states listed in your advertising.
Are there any special advertising requirements?
Yes. You must indicate on any advertising accessible in California (including internet ads) either that you are not a California bar attorney or that you are admitted to practice only in the states listed in your advertising.
I went on My State Bar Profile (MSBP) and cannot download the Live Scan form, what should I do?
Non-compliant attorneys should contact the State Bar when unable to download an individualized Live Scan form from their My State Bar Profile.
How will I know if I qualify for a reduction in processing fees due to financial hardship?
Only attorneys who have been granted certain fee reductions in their annual licensing fees are eligible for fee reductions. If you qualify for such a reduction, you will be notified via an email notice.
I am unable to be fingerprinted due to a disability. What should I do?
Will the State Bar receive subsequent arrest and conviction information from the federal government?
No. The State Bar will only receive subsequent criminal offense information from the DOJ, which is limited to criminal activity reported through California’s criminal justice system. While the FBI will provide the State Bar with criminal offense information upon initial receipt of an attorney’s fingerprints, the State Bar will not receive subsequent information from the FBI.
Am I automatically a member of the bar if I passed the exam?
No. You will not be considered eligible for State Bar membership unless you have met all the admission requirements. Log into your account and check your admission status to determine whether you have met all requirements and are eligible to take the attorney’s oath. If you have not met all requirements, check to see what still needs to be done.
Although I can provide additional information about my practice area, it doesn't seem like you can search by practice area.
Although any self-designated areas of practice will be listed within your individual profile, the Board's resolution authorizing this feature specifically limits the search criteria to name, firm name, location/geography, certified legal specialization and language(s) spoken.
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