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.
Will the State Bar require me to resubmit criminal information previously reported?
No. If you already reported criminal information to the State Bar in the moral character process or under the self-reporting mandate, you are not required to report the same information again.
Does the State Bar have a legal specialist program?
Replace with the following:
The State Bar certifies specialists in 11 areas: Admiralty & Maritime, Appellate, Bankruptcy, Criminal, Estate Planning, Family, Franchise & Distribution, Immigration, Legal Malpractice, Taxation, and Workers' Compensation. If you have questions, please fill out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry Form or call 415-538-2120.
Are county employees considered exempt?
No. County employees are not exempt. Employees of California Superior Courts are exempt from MCLE requirements.
Is my out-of-state/country CLE acceptable in California?
You may apply the MCLE credit from courses approved by many states and a few overseas jurisdictions if you were physically outside California when you completed them. This is by rule, so no special forms or requests are needed. Check the approved jurisdictions list on the State Bar website.
To request a receipt of your MJP renewal fees, please call Member Records and Billing at 888-800-3400. Press "0" and a representative will assist you.
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.
Can I obtain a copy of the DOJ/FBI criminal offender record information sent to the State Bar?
The State Bar is unable to provide you with a copy of confidential information received from the Department of Justice. Only those authorized entities or persons authorized by statute may obtain access to DOJ records. If you would like to request a copy of a DOJ record relating to yourself, you must request that records from the DOJ pursuant to procedures set forth in the California Penal Code. See Ca. Penal Code sections 11122-11123.
If my employer is offering to provide Live Scan services and cover the cost, will my employer be receiving my criminal offender record information as a result of the fingerprinting?
Your employer will not receive information regarding criminal history as a result of submitting your fingerprints. The State Bar will be the only entity receiving your information once you submit your fingerprints using the pre-populated Live Scan form obtained from your My State Bar Profile or a State Bar authorized fingerprint card. The State Bar is prohibited from sharing your criminal offender record information with outside entities.
When completing the Live Scan form, are you required to provide the same name that you have on record to the State Bar?
While not required, it is recommended to provide the same name to avoid delays in processing time.
How often do I need to be fingerprinted?
For most attorneys, only once. However, if your fingerprints are rejected by the DOJ and/or the FBI you may be required to resubmit them. The State Bar will notify you if your fingerprints are rejected. The rejection notice will include instructions for resubmitting your fingerprints. The State Bar will update your My State Bar Profile indicating that your fingerprints were rejected. In addition, if an attorney is disbarred or resigns from the State Bar and later seeks re-admission, the attorney will need to be fingerprinted again.
I was already fingerprinted for another reason (i.e., as a notary, as an employee in the public sector). This means the DOJ already has my fingerprints. Do I still need to be fingerprinted?
Yes. It is a DOJ policy to limit disclosure of fingerprint records to the contractual agreement specific to the requesting agency. Fingerprints are not transferable from one agency to another.
Which non-California attorneys are permitted to practice under the MJP rules?
Attorneys working for a qualified legal services provider and under the supervision of a California attorney working for the same provider (rule 9.45); attorneys working as in-house counsel for a qualifying institution (rule 9.46); attorneys practicing law temporarily in California as part of litigation (rule 9.47); and non-litigating attorneys temporarily in California to provide legal services (rule 9.48).
What happens to an attorney after charges are filed against them in State Bar Court?
The accused attorney must file an answer, or risk a default judgment and involuntary enrollment as an inactive Bar member pending the outcome of the case. The clerks in State Bar Court schedule a status conference (a meeting of all parties), to be held within 45 days after the complaint is filed. The next step depends on the individual case. There could be additional status conferences, settlement conferences, or simply the trial date.
What are the ratings?
The definition of the ratings of judicial candidates to be used by the commission in reporting to the Governor's office are:
Definition of Ratings - vary by candidate type:
Candidates for the Superior Court:
Exceptionally Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes of remarkable or extraordinary superiority that enable them to perform the judicial function with distinction.
Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes indicative of a superior fitness to perform the judicial function with a high degree of skill and effectiveness.
Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes sufficient to perform the judicial function adequately and satisfactorily.
Not Qualified: Possessing less than the minimum qualities and attributes.
Candidates for the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court:
Exceptionally Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes of remarkable or extraordinary superiority that enable them to perform the appellate judicial function with distinction.
Well Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes indicative of a superior fitness to perform the appellate judicial function with a high degree of skill, effectiveness, and distinction.
Qualified: Possessing qualities and attributes sufficient to perform the appellate judicial function with a high degree of skill and effectiveness.
Not Qualified: Possessing less than the minimum qualities and attributes.
Superior Court candidates are expected to have the qualities of decisiveness, oral communication skills, and patience.
Court of Appeal candidates are expected to have the qualities of collegiality, writing ability, and scholarship.
Supreme Court candidates are expected to have the qualities of collegiality, writing ability, scholarship, distinction in the profession, and breadth and depth of experience.
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