Unless exempt (see FAQ 2.3, above), California licensees, regardless of where they practice, must still comply with the CTAPP reporting requirements. Licensees must report and register each and every trust account in any location if (1) they acted as a signatory or exercised managerial or primary administrative oversight for a trust account held pursuant to rule 1.15 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct, or (2) were otherwise responsible for complying with any of the requirements or prohibitions in rule 1.15 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct other than the disclosure and agreement requirements in rule 1.15(b) pertaining to depositing a flat fee paid in advance into a lawyer’s or law firm’s operating account (e.g., responsibilities for safekeeping of funds, to identify and discharge liens, notify clients that funds have been received, etc.).

Currently, CTAPP reporting features do not allow licensees or firm administrators to enter non-U.S. routing and account numbers. Therefore, for all non-U.S. trust accounts, in Step 1 (Annual Client Trust Account Reporting), please check the box next to “Yes, I will provide or update IOLTA and/or non-IOLTA account information, including the balance as of December 31, 2025, via My State Bar Profile” for the appropriate question, depending on the type of account. Then, during Step 2 (Account Registration), check the checkbox next to “Other” under the sentence, “If you selected Yes to the IOLTA or Non-IOLTA question in Step 1, but are unable to register that IOLTA (CA or Non-CA) and/or Non-IOLTA because you do not have some of the required information, please describe why below,” and, in the box provided, list all non-U.S. bank accounts, including bank name, account number, and country of origin. In future years, we expect enhancements to the reporting application will make it possible for licensees and agencies to report non-U.S. trust account information.

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.

Unfortunately, the State Bar is unable to refer you to an attorney or judge. You are required to find a qualified attorney or judge who is willing to supervise your legal studies. You may wish to contact your local bar association for assistance.

An e-learning portal is a personalized website for accessing e-learning courses and other educational content.

No. Although there are knowledge checks and an assessment for each course, you are not required to achieve a passing score in order to receive MCLE credit. The purpose of the assessment is to provide a self-evaluation of what you have learned following the completion of this course. If you would like to improve your score, you will have the option to retake the assessment, or the course in its entirety, after completing the course.

After April 10, 2025, the State Bar will send you a one-time enrollment email to set up your EBill Express account. Once you receive that email, you can follow the instructions provided to complete your account setup.

No. All documentation and fees related to a PHV renewal must be submitted to the court and not the State Bar of California. Please contact the court if you have questions regarding PHV renewals.  

An out-of-state attorney, who is in good standing in their jurisdiction, and does not live, work, or conduct regular business in California can request permission from a California state court (superior court, Court of Appeal, or Supreme Court) to represent their client as counsel pro hac vice, which is a Latin term meaning "for this occasion." PHV is approved for a particular case, and an active licensee of the State Bar of California must be associated as attorney of record for the case. Please refer to rule 9.40 of the California Rules of Court.

Under rule 9.49, a PLL is allowed to provide a broad array of legal services for clients, including appearing before a court; drafting legal documents, such as contracts, transactional documents, and pleadings; engaging in negotiations and settlement discussions; and providing other legal advice, provided that the work is performed under the supervision of their Supervising Lawyer. The limits on what a PLL can do, or what needs to be done under direct versus general supervision, are largely left to the Supervising Lawyer to determine based on the readiness of the PLL. 

At the joint meeting on August 14, 2025, the Board of Trustees and the Committee of Bar Examiners set the new fees for the PLP. Please find them below. 

Yes. Even if you know that the court, opposing counsel, or some other entity has already made the report to the State Bar or is required to report to the State Bar, your obligation remains.[6]

Yes, and all courses can be accessed on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. No special software is required. All you need is a modern web browser (Google Chrome is recommended) and a stable internet connection. 

Yes, an invoice will be emailed to you after your purchase is complete. 

The Client Security Fund reimburses clients who have lost money or property due to theft or other dishonest acts 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 for more information.

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. 

Yes, to the extent consistent with the information needed to research the issue.

All information about program participation is reported in aggregate. To view data about the LAP, please see the annual Lawyer Assistance Program Fact Sheet.

• 2023 Fact Sheet
• 2024 Fact Sheet
• 2025 Fact Sheet
   

The Working Group webpage provides membership details, guiding principles, and past agendas and materials. Interested parties can subscribe to email updates from the webpage and can watch past meeting recordings on the State Bar’s YouTube channel.

You may change or add an employer/agency by submitting an original Certified Law Student Program Application, a Supervising Attorney Declaration form from each new supervising attorney at the new employer, and the fee set forth in the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines through the Applicant Portal, prior to the commencement of the supervision period.

No. You must take your first eligible California Bar Examination as determined by the State Bar; otherwise, you are not eligible to apply to participate in the program.