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.
If you took the February bar exam, your results will be mailed to you in mid-May. If you took the July bar exam, your results will be mailed to you in mid-November. You can also check to see if your name is on the pass list available on the State Bar of California website. You will need your applicant and file numbers to log in and see your results. It will show only whether your name is on the pass list.
I changed my last name. Does my compliance group change?
An attorney's compliance group never changes, even if a last name is changed. Attorneys always remain in the compliance group to which they originally were assigned. See Compliance Groups for more information.
What if I do not provide any additional information to expand my profile, but I still want to come up in randomized search results for potential new clients?
Unless you opt out of this feature, you will automatically come up in randomized search results when the search criteria match. So, if the search criteria are limited to geography, you will still be included (as long as you are on Active status).
How is the online directory search result displayed?
The display of your search result will vary depending upon the type of search you request. For example:
If you search by the bar number, you will receive information about only that attorney.
If you know the first few letters of the attorney’s first or last name or firm and you are searching by ‘Begins with,’ ‘Contains’ or ‘Sounds like’, you will get a listing of all attorneys whose names match the criteria, and they will be listed in alphabetical order. Attorneys will be listed regardless of their status with the bar.
If you search by criteria other than the attorney’s name or firm, the results will be randomly selected from the directory and displayed in that random order. The results will not be in alphabetical order. Please note: Beginning a new search using the same search criteria will not necessarily display the names in the same order as the results of your first search. Therefore, if you find an attorney or several attorneys you wish to contact, copy their contact information before executing a new search.
All search results will be limited to 500 names.
What is the Limited Liability Partnership program?
The State Bar certifies professional law partnerships to allow attorneys to limit their vicarious liability for the acts tortious or otherwise, of their partners and employees.
If I have met all the requirements, what else do I have to do to become a member of the State Bar?
If you have completed all the requirements, you will get an admission packet in the mail that includes your result letter and information about how to complete your membership enrollment card. It includes a membership enrollment card (also called an “oath” card) that must be filled out and signed by an individual authorized to administer oaths. Many applicants attend the admission ceremonies coordinated by the State Bar, but you do not need to attend one of those in order to take the oath. A list of admission ceremony locations is included in the bulletin for successful applicants, which will be mailed to successful applicants.
After you have forwarded the completed membership enrollment card, which has the oath on the back, to the State Bar’s Membership Records office, you are eligible to start practicing law.
I am in the process of moving to California or have just moved to California. Can I still apply as an out-of-state attorney through rule 9.43?
No. If you reside in California you will not be eligible for OSAAC.
How much credit do I get for a self-study education activity?
Providers are not required to give a certificate of attendance for approved self-study education, but they are required to specify the total amount of credit hours available and the number of those total hours allocated to the special requirement areas.
Which areas does the California Board of Legal Specialization certify directly?
Eleven areas:
Admiralty and Maritime Law
Appellate Law
Bankruptcy Law
Criminal Law
Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law
Family Law
Franchise and Distribution Law
Immigration and Nationality Law
Legal Malpractice Law
Taxation Law
Workers' Compensation Law
How are Special Masters appointed?
When a search warrant is issued for documents under the control of the specified professionals, the court appoints a Special Master to accompany the peace officer serving the warrant.
May attorneys who provide a borrower loan modification or other forbearance services agree with the borrower that the services requested will be broken down into component parts and that a fee for each component part will be earned and collected as each part is completed?
If an attorney has been employed by a borrower to assist the borrower in obtaining a loan modification or forbearance, then the answer is “no.” It is a violation of SB 94 to attempt to obtain a payment for any portion of the services contracted for in pursuit of the modification or forbearance prior to the completion of all the services required by the employment contract.
Are we allowed to settle the fee dispute before the arbitration hearing?
Yes. Parties are encouraged to discuss the dispute prior to arbitration and to try to settle it informally. Fee disputes sometimes occur because the lawyer and client have stopped communicating with each other. Sometimes, discussing the dispute may lead to early settlement. Some fee arbitration programs will refund a portion of the arbitration filing fee if the dispute is settled early in the process. Check the rules of the program you are using.
What does the arbitrator expect from the parties?
The arbitrator will expect the parties to be fully prepared to explain and support their positions on the value of the lawyer's services and to have all 2 Rev.4/7/2021 documents and witnesses organized and ready at the hearing. The arbitrator will not expect you to act like a lawyer, but they will expect your case to be presented in an organized and efficient manner. If you have documents to submit, provide copies to the arbitrator and the attorney whose fees you are disputing before the hearing.
Will the arbitrator ask questions?
The arbitrator may ask questions at any time. Sometimes the arbitrator will ask questions while you or the lawyer are presenting your case if clarification is needed.
Why is rule 8.3 important?
Lawyers are often in the best position to know if another lawyer is not fulfilling their ethical obligations and violating the Rules of Professional Conduct. Reporting another lawyer’s possible misconduct assists the State Bar to protect the public, the courts, and the legal profession from lawyer harm; helps to maintain the integrity of the legal system; and furthers public trust in the legal profession.
What if I am not sure whether I have a duty to report misconduct under rule 8.3?
If you are not sure whether you have a duty to report misconduct under rule 8.3, you may consult with another lawyer. See rule 8.3, comment [2]. A lawyer may, but is not required to, report any other violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct or the State Bar Act that is not required to be reported under rule 8.3. See rule 8.3(b), comment [4].
What is a learning page?
The Learning Page organizes the courses under two tabs: To-Do and Completed. The To-Do tab lists courses that are in-progress or that you have not started. The Completed tab lists courses that you have completed.
Does the New Attorney Training Program apply to attorneys licensed in other jurisdictions who have been newly admitted to the State Bar of California?
Yes. All persons newly admitted to the State Bar of California are required to complete the New Attorney Training Program.
What can I do as a participant in the MJP Program?
Once your MJP application has been approved and the State Bar has issued you a certificate of registration, you may engage only in the activities permitted by the applicable rule of the California Rules of Court.
Once your MJP application has been approved, you may:
• RIHC: only provide legal services in California to the qualified institution that employs you. Upon submittal of a supplemental form, you may also provide pro bono legal services under the supervision of a California attorney for an eligible legal aid organization defined by rule 9.45(a)(1) of the California Rules of Court, or the qualifying institution that employs you.
• RLAA: under the supervision of a California attorney, provide legal services while working, with or without pay, at a qualified legal aid organization and only on behalf of its clients or customers. Practice under this rule is limited to a total of five years.
• RMSA: under the supervision of a California attorney, practice law in California in all forms of legal practice that are permissible for a licensed attorney of the State Bar of California. Practice under this rule is limited to a total of five years.
How do I notify the State Bar that I am no longer eligible for the MJP Program?
Once you become ineligible for the MJP Program, you must notify the State Bar within 30 days.
You must report the above information in the Applicant Portal by following the steps below or emailing mjp@calbar.ca.gov.
• Log in to the Applicant Portal.
• From the home page in the Applicant Portal
Click “Support Requests”
Select “New General Request”
For type, select “Other”
Provide the update in the description box and click “Confirm” when you are ready to submit the update.
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