Can I extend my certification period under my current or previously approved Supervising Attorney(s)?
No. Your certification is only valid for the period stated in your application. You must submit a new Application for the Certified Law Student Program in the Applicant Portal with the required documentation and fee.
How do I notify the State Bar that I am no longer eligible for the CLS Program?
Once you become ineligible for the CLS Program, you must promptly inform the State Bar by submitting a general request through your Applicant Portal, and cease any activity a Certified Law Student can perform.
My CLS no longer works under my supervision. What should I do?
Supervising Attorneys are required to notify the State Bar within 30 days if the supervision of a CLS is ending before the period stated in the CLS’s Notice. Please email special.admissions@calbar.ca.gov to provide this notification.
My certification was revoked for noncompliance. How do I request review of the revocation?
A Certified Law Student whose certification has been revoked may request reconsideration of the revocation. The request must be in writing and submitted to the State Bar within 15 days of the applicant’s receipt of the notice of revocation. Any arguments or evidence in support of the request must be submitted with the request through the Applicant Portal. Within 60 days of receipt of the request, the State Bar will provide the applicant with a written decision. The decision constitutes the final action of the State Bar.
How should I manage potential conflicts of interest when enrolled in both the Law Office Study Program and the Certified Law Student Program?
Applicants enrolled in both programs, along with their respective supervisors, are expected to take proactive steps to avoid or address any actual or potential conflicts of interest or ethical issues. This includes exercising good judgment in situations where their dual roles may overlap. For example, an applicant who studies in the Law Office Study Program under the supervision of a judge should avoid appearing before that same judge when representing a client in the Certified Law Student Program.
The California Senate confirmed Tuesday the reappointment of George Cardona as the Chief Trial Counsel for the State Bar of California. This is Cardona’s second Senate confirmation. In June 2022, Cardona became the first Senate confirmation of a Chief Trial Counsel in 10 years.
At its May 14–15, 2026, meeting, the Board of Trustees concurred with and approved the Committee of Bar Examiners’ (CBE) recommendation that the California Supreme Court adopt the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ (NCBE) NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (NextGen UBE) for administration beginning in July 2028.
The California State Senate today confirmed the appointment of Laura Enderton-Speed as the Executive Director of the State Bar. The State Bar Board of Trustees announced Enderton-Speed’s appointment in September 2025, and she began her role as the Executive Director on November 3, 2025.
