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.
IOLTA is a primary source of funding for civil legal aid in California. Civil legal aid provides free legal services to those who would not otherwise be able to afford them. On average low-income Californians report experiencing twice as many civil legal problems in a year as nonindigent Californians. Approximately 20 percent of Californians live in poverty and rely on these services for their civil legal needs.
Currently, almost 100 organizations receive IOLTA grants from the State Bar. In 2018 the State Bar distributed over $51 million to support civil legal aid. (This includes other funds besides IOLTA, such as the Equal Access Fund and the Greg E. Knoll Justice Gap Fund.) Top areas where these organizations provided legal assistance included housing, immigration, and family law/domestic violence cases. In 2017, almost 5,000 families were able to stay in their homes, over $16 million in unpaid wages were recovered, and over 2,000 individuals were able to obtain or maintain their health insurance as a result of civil legal aid.
When is the deadline to submit my audit packet? What happens if I miss the deadline?
The deadline to show proof of compliance is stated on your MCLE Audit Notice. If you fail to submit adequate proof of compliance by the deadline, you will be assessed a $103 penalty for late compliance, and you will receive a Non-Compliance Notice that gives you 60 days to comply. If you do not submit adequate proof of compliance and pay the late fee within that time period, you will be placed on Not Eligible to Practice status until you submit the required proof of compliance, pay the $103 non-compliance fee, and pay an additional $308 reinstatement fee.
I can’t find all of my certificates. What can I do?
If you are unable to locate your certificates or proof of course completion, please contact your provider immediately to request a copy of the attendance certificate or a printout. Many providers are happy to assist. However, please note that California MCLE course providers are not required to issue replacement certificates. The State Bar only mandates that they provide the original certificate received upon course completion.
Are there other MCLE courses available through the State Bar?
Yes. The State Bar offers additional MCLE courses. For course listings, browse the E-Learning Portal catalog, where all State Bar courses are now available. If you are a California-licensed attorney or registered in the multijurisdictional practice (MJP) program, log in to My State Bar Profile to access the catalog.
How long is the Monitored LAP program?
Professional monitoring can be provided for as long as a participant wants it. If an attorney is required to successfully complete the LAP (often required by the State Bar’s discipline system), the attorney will have several goals to meet, including a minimum of three continuous years of sobriety and/or mental health stability.
What is the difference between binding and nonbinding arbitration?
Nonbinding arbitration means that after the arbitration decision is mailed, either party may file an action in court within 30 days, rejecting the award and requesting a trial in court. The party who files the action to reject the award will become the plaintiff in a lawsuit against the other party. This may entail additional costs and—for lawsuits filed in the Superior Court—the assistance of a lawyer.
Should I agree to binding arbitration?
The decision to choose nonbinding or binding arbitration is entirely up to you.
Fee arbitrations are nonbinding unless the parties agree in writing, after the dispute arises, to binding arbitration before the arbitrator takes any evidence. If only one of the parties agrees to binding arbitration, or if a party fails to respond, the matter will proceed as nonbinding arbitration.
If neither party files an action in court rejecting the award and requesting a trial within 30 days after the award is mailed, a nonbinding award will automatically become binding on the parties.
If the arbitration is binding, the award is considered to be final, and neither you nor the lawyer can request a new trial in court. A binding award can only be corrected or vacated by a court for very limited reasons.
After a complaint has been filed, how long does it take for disciplinary charges?
Complaints typically take up to six months, sometimes more, for an investigation to be completed. In particularly complex cases, the investigation could take as long as a year. Many complaints are diverted out of the process along the way by, for example, a referral to mandatory mediation, an agreement requiring the attorney to meet certain conditions or the attorney's participation in other programs.
What address should I use as my address of record for State Bar purposes?
The office address of the attorney's employer (qualifying institution for in-house counsel and qualifying legal services provider for legal services attorney) will be considered your address of record. If your current employer changes its address, you must submit a written notice to:
Office of Admissions (MJP) The State Bar of California 845 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515
If your address change is due to new employment, you must submit a Change of Employment Form for registration with the State Bar.
MJP attorneys are not allowed to practice law with other institutions without registration by the State Bar.
Which institutions do not qualify under rule 9.46?
Governmental entities and entities that provide legal services to others do not qualify.
What happens if I change employers?
You must submit a Change of Employment Form if you wish to continue to practice law in California as in-house counsel.
If I have been disciplined by an attorney regulatory or other regulatory agency, does my disciplinary history affect my eligibility?
No. Notwithstanding a prior disciplinary history, if you are currently licensed and entitled to practice law, you may register as in-house counsel. However, a record of discipline could lead to an adverse moral character determination depending on the nature of the circumstances leading to the imposition of discipline, the nature and amount of rehabilitation that has taken place, and the length of time since the events that led to discipline. For more information, go to the page that discusses Moral Character
Who may act as my supervising attorney?
An active licensed attorney in good standing of the California bar who has practiced law as a full-time occupation for at least four years, and has actively practiced law in California as a full-time occupation for at least the two years immediately preceding the time of supervision. See rule 9.45 for additional requirements.
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