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.
What is the process for calculating credit for panelists?
Panelist credit hours should be calculated by dividing the actual program time by the number of panelists participating. The following is an example of a 1-hour program with three panelists:
60 minutes (program time) ÷ 3 (number of panelists) = 20 minutes of speaking time for each panelist;
20 minutes (speaking time) x 4 = 80 minutes, rounded to the nearest quarter-hour = 1.25 hours of total speaking time to be awarded to each panelist.
How do I determine eligibility if I have not yet received my tax documents?
Calculate your total gross annual individual income for 2024 to the best of your ability. If you later determine that you do not qualify, contact the Division of Regulation to coordinate payment of the difference owed.
Who can participate in the Fresh Start Settlement Program?
Disbarred, resigned, not-eligible, active, and inactive licensees with outstanding debt owed to the State Bar.
How is the settlement offer calculated?
The offer considers several factors, including the type of debt, the licensee status of the individual, and the amount of debt.
Are the LAP and the Alternative Discipline Program (ADP) the same?
No, the ADP is the State Bar Court's Alternative Discipline Program for attorneys with substance use or mental health problems.
The LAP is a separate program for law students, State Bar applicants, current and former attorneys with substance use or mental health issues, regardless of whether they have past or pending disciplinary matters.
The ADP has a close and mutually beneficial relationship with LAP. The ADP neither duplicates the LAP processes nor usurps the treatment function. The ADP seeks to identify and refer respondents with substance use or mental health problems to LAP in order that respondents so afflicted may be treated and rehabilitated. A respondent must be accepted into LAP to be eligible for the ADP.
What is the deadline for requesting fee arbitration?
If you received a Notice of Client's Right to Fee Arbitration form from the attorney, you have 30 days from the date you received it to submit your arbitration request form to the program.
If you do not file the request form with the program within 30 days, you will lose your right to arbitrate your fee dispute. A telephone call or letter to the program requesting arbitration will not protect that right. You must be sure that the request form is completely filled out and that you have included any filing fee that may be required.
If the attorney has already filed a lawsuit against you for unpaid fees, you may elect either to respond to the lawsuit or request fee arbitration. If you file a response to the lawsuit, you will lose your right to arbitrate the fee dispute. If you request arbitration, the lawsuit will be stayed, but you should file the appropriate notice of automatic stay with the court. To preserve your right to arbitrate, you should file a request for arbitration promptly.
Where can I find the Rules of Professional Conduct and formal ethic opinions?
What if my job title is not "attorney" or "administrative law judge"?
For purposes of 2.54(A)(3) and 2.54(A)(4), attorneys are exempt who are required by the State Bar of California to maintain an active license as a result of the duties they are required to perform by virtue of their employment with the State of California or the United States government.
An example of those exempt are law clerks.
What is a qualifying institution?
A corporation, partnership, association, or other legal entity, including its subsidiaries and organizational affiliates, that employs at least 10 employees full-time in California, or employs in California an attorney who is an active member in good standing of the California bar.
Can I practice law while I wait for the results of the moral character application?
Yes
Am I allowed to maintain an office in California for the practice of law?
No. You are not allowed to establish or maintain a resident office or other continuous presence in California for the practice of law. You must maintain an office in a U.S. jurisdiction other than California in which you are licensed. (Rule 9.47 & 9.48)
Am I allowed to engage in all forms of legal practice that are permissible for a member of the State Bar of California?
Yes, as long as you are providing the services pursuant to rule 964 and are being supervised as required.
If I took and failed the California bar exam, does that affect my eligibility?
Yes. If you took and failed it within five years immediately preceding your application to register as a legal services attorney, you are not eligible for registration.
Under 9.45, may a non-California attorney register to work with more than one qualifying public interest organization?
Legal services attorneys may only register to work with a single qualifying public interest organization.
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