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.
The State Bar conducts an annual Attorney Census to gather demographic and employment data from the state’s licensees. The Attorney Census contains questions on demographic characteristics, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and veteran’s status. For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions about the Attorney Census.
Human Resources
Supports the State Bar’s most important resource: our people. The office manages the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding of all new staff; offers online training; oversees internal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and designs and manages programs and services to foster the continued professional development, well-being, and retention of staff. It also administers personnel policies; Equal Employment Opportunity and nondiscrimination policies; classification and compensation analysis; benefits administration; and labor relations.
When I try to take the test, I'm put in a loop that asks me to make another payment.
If you already made a payment and received a confirmation, do not click the Take MCLE Test button. Instead, go to Complete Unfinished Test, enter the Tester ID sent to your email address, and click Next. The MCLE article and 20 questions will display.
When can I expect to receive my certificate of completion?
You will be able to download your certificate from the E-Learning Portal upon completing the course. Be sure to download it within 30 days of completion.
How often is drug testing?
Drug testing varies by need, although the general parameters are 12-36 times per year.
What is the Lawyer Assistance Program?
The Lawyer Assistance Program (LAP) is a confidential program (see below for more information about confidentiality) that provides a supportive structure for building a personal program of recovery from mental health issues and/or problematic substance use. The program also monitors a participant's progress, not only for the public safety, but also as documentation of recovery for the professional participant. Law students, State Bar applicants, and attorneys (both current and former) are eligible for the LAP.
May I ask for fee arbitration if I want a refund of fees I have already paid to an attorney?
If you are seeking a refund of attorney’s fees that you have already paid, you may request Mandatory Fee Arbitration any time as long as your request is made within the applicable time period allowed in which to bring a civil action seeking judicial resolution of a fee dispute. To preserve your right to arbitrate, you should file a request for arbitration promptly.
Does the State Bar have law practice sections for attorneys?
On January 1, 2018, the State Bar’s former sections were transferred to a new independent organization, the California Lawyers Association (CLA).
How do I obtain a bar card?
After completing payment for the annual fees, you can download and print a paper bar card or order a plastic bar card through your My State Bar Profile. Requests for plastic bar cards will be mailed to your address of record in 10 business days.
May I provide personal or individual representation to anyone other than through my employer?
No. You must practice law exclusively on behalf of the qualifying legal services provider (with the exception that you may practice simultaneously as registered in-house counsel).
What is a qualifying legal services provider?
An entity that is either a California nonprofit corporation or a project of an accredited law school and that provides free legal services to indigent persons as its primary purpose and function. See Rule 9.45 for details.
Who qualifies as a non-litigating attorney under rule 9.48?
An attorney licensed to practice law in one or more U.S. jurisdictions other than California who is providing legal assistance or legal advice concerning a transaction or other non-litigation matter, a material aspect of which takes place in a jurisdiction in which the attorney is licensed, or on an issue of federal law or the law of a jurisdiction other than California. See General Information FAQs for additional information.
How do I register as in-house counsel?
Submit a registration application, which includes an Application for Determination of Moral Character, to the State Bar with the appropriate fees. MJP registration applications are available online. The moral character application is available, but must be submitted with the MJP application, not separately.
Can I practice law while I wait for the results of the moral character application?
Yes
Are attorneys licensed only in foreign countries eligible to practice under the MJP rules?
No. The only eligible attorneys are those who are licensed attorneys in good standing of the bar of at least one U.S. state, territory, jurisdiction, possession or dependency.
Do I already have to be retained by a client in the matter for which I am providing legal services in California?
Yes.
Do I already have to be retained by a client in the matter for which I am providing legal services in California?
Yes.
I have tried to access the State Bar Admissions website to register and fill out a moral character determination application but have been unable to do so. Why?
Starting February 14, 2019 through February 24, 2019, the State Bar’s registration and application system will be unavailable due to the implementation of the new AIMS. Starting Friday, March 1, 2019, you will be able to access the new system and register and submit applications.
Can we use our own fingerprint cards?
No. Out-of-state attorneys and out-of-country attorneys must obtain fingerprint cards through the State Bar. The cards can be requested by logging into the MSBP. If the out-of-state fingerprint vendor is unable to process the cards issued by the State Bar, the attorney must contact FingerPrinting Card Request for further assistance. Failure to follow State Bar procedures may result in non-compliance with the fingerprinting rule.
My employer provides Live Scan services. Can I use their services or do I have to use an outside vendor?
You can use any Live Scan service as long as the vendor has a contract with the California DOJ to submit your fingerprints and can provide you with an ATI number.
Contact us
Need additional help? Visit our Contact Us page for additional resources.
