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 talk to someone about participation in the Lawyer Assistance Program?
For more information, please complete the LAP/OPC Support Intake Form, give us a call (877-LAP-4HELP or 877-527-4435), or send an email to LAP@calbar.ca.gov. Contacting us is confidential.
How does IOLTA work?
Very often, the amount of money a lawyer handles for a single client is quite small, or will be held for such a short period of time that it cannot earn net income for the client.
When these small or short-term funds belonging to clients are placed in a single, interest- or dividend-bearing trust account, the funds collectively earn interest that the financial institution forwards to the State Bar of California to support nonprofit legal aid organizations that provide civil legal aid to indigent and low-income people, seniors and persons with disabilities.
Business and Professions Code Sections 6091.2, 6211, 6212, 6213 require that financial institutions that choose to participate in the IOLTA program offer comparable bank investment products to their IOLTA customers as they do to their similarly situated customers. If a financial institution does not meet this requirement, then attorneys are not allowed to hold their IOLTA at that financial institution.
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.
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.
Applications are available in the Applicant Portal. You must create an account using your name, email address, and password to gain access to the Applicant Portal.
I submitted my fingerprints through a Live Scan vendor and entered in the ATI number on the My State Bar Profile. Do I need to mail my Live Scan form to the State Bar?
No. Once you have submitted your fingerprints through a Live Scan vendor and received an ATI number, you should retain a copy of the Live Scan form for your records.
Where you bank makes a difference! You can help generate more money for civil legal aid for low-income Californians by establishing and maintaining your IOLTA accounts at Leadership Banks, financial institutions that commit to offering favorable interest rates. Banking with a Leadership Bank is a great way for you to help support access to justice for low-income individuals in our state.
What is the Attorney Census?
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.
How do I print a certificate of completion for MCLE credit?
Go to Certificate of Completion, enter your Tester ID, then click the Next button. The MCLE Self-Study Certificate of Completion, Test, and Answers will display. To print only your certificate of completion, please choose the "Printer friendly version - MCLE certificate only" link at the top of that webpage.
I paid $25 for the wrong test. What can I do?
If you paid $25 for a particular test, you can take only that test. If you wish to take a different test, you must pay $25 for that article and test. If you wish a refund, please contact us at feedback@calbar.ca.gov. Be sure to close and restart your web browser before trying to take a new test.
Can I get a refund after purchasing the course?
You may request a refund within 60 days of your purchase as long as the course has not been accessed. Refunds for courses with technical issues will be prioritized. Processing may take up to 90 days. Credit card fees are nonrefundable. To request a refund, email elearning@calbar.ca.gov. Please provide your name, your bar number, the name of the course you are requesting a refund for, the reason for the refund request, the date of purchase, and a copy of the transaction receipt.
Why are law students, State Bar applicants, and attorneys with substance use and mental health issues combined in the same group meetings?
LAP groups do not focus on the specific treatment of any diagnosis. A structured plan of support is beneficial in the recovery of a variety of problems.
Also, many LAP participants are recovering from both substance use and mental health issues. Feedback from LAP participants confirms that benefits are derived from the combined group meetings. The general public is not part of the LAP group meetings.
What factors are considered in fee arbitration?
Depending on the circumstances, the arbitrator will consider several factors in reaching a decision. These may include:
Whether there was a written fee agreement;
The value of the attorney’s services;
Whether the attorney spent an appropriate amount of time on your case;
Whether there are any billing errors; and
Whether any professional negligence or misconduct by the attorney affected the value of the services
The arbitrator will decide the matter based on written submissions and the evidence presented at the hearing. The award will be either binding or nonbinding, depending on what the two parties choose.
What is the Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program?
The State Bar's Mandatory Fee Arbitration Program is an informal, confidential, and low-cost forum for resolving fee disputes between attorneys and their clients. Clients have the right to have a neutral party—an “arbitrator"—hear fee disputes with their attorneys. The arbitrator determines whether the fees and costs charged by the attorney are reasonable for the services provided.
This kind of arbitration is mandatory for a lawyer if requested by a client.
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