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.
Do I send in the original certificates or the copies?
Photocopies are sufficient for the purposes of the audit. Hold on to your originals through the end of the year you report MCLE compliance.
What is the cost for the weekly LAP support group meetings?
The cost is $275 per month, which is paid to the clinician who facilitates the group. Groups fees are assessed monthly, not on a week-to-week basis. Financial assistance is available for qualified participants.
Does pro bono always mean taking on an entire case?
No. A broad range of pro bono activities do not require direct, full representation, and/or court appearances. Many legal services and pro bono programs have volunteer opportunities at clinics and hotlines. Your only commitment is for the time spent at the clinic or covering the hotline. California courts allow unbundled (or limited scope) services, so that you can draft pleadings only or take on just a portion of the representation without committing to full representation.
Where do I go if I have questions about my MCLE compliance?
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.
I inadvertently answered “No” to the introductory question “Would you like to resume where you left off?” and the course began at the beginning. Is there something that can be done to restore my prior progress?
If you answer “No” to the introductory question “Would you like to resume where you left off?” the course is reset to the beginning and saves over the earlier copy saved for your e-learning account. You will need to view the course again, including all screens or modules previously completed, in order to complete the course and obtain the MCLE certificate. It is not possible to reset or restore a course to a particular location as marked in a previously saved version of the course.
When are the installment payments due?
The six equal payments are scheduled between May 1, 2025, and October 1, 2025.
What happens if I receive a noncompliance late penalty for failure to meet annual reporting requirements?
If you are assessed a noncompliance penalty, you will be removed from the installment plan and required to pay all remaining fees and costs in full by June 30, 2025.
Can I return to my pending PHV application in the Applicant Portal?
Maybe. If you click "Pause" while you are in the application, you will be able to return to the pending PHV application.
To return to the paused PHV application:
Log in to the Applicant Portal
Click "Special Admissions"
Click "Pro Hac Vice”
Under drafted applications, locate your PHV application and click "Resume."
You cannot return to a pending PHV application if you exited the application without clicking "Pause" or if a technical issue occurred that prevented you from clicking "Pause" before exiting the application. If this happens, you'll have to start over from the beginning.
The court or opposing counsel has reported or is required to notify the State Bar. Am I still required to report the event?
Yes. Even if you know that the court, opposing counsel, or some other entity has already made the report to the State Bar or is required to report to the State Bar, your obligation remains.[6]
Do I receive a certificate upon completion?
Yes, most courses include either an MCLE certificate or a certificate of completion. You can download and print your certificate once you complete all course requirements. Certificates are only available for 30 days after you complete the course.
How do I access my purchased courses?
After purchase, your courses will be available under the "Learning Page" in your account.
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 State 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.
I was an active licensee for only part of the reporting period. Do I still need to report?
Yes. Any licensee who was active for any part of the reporting period and who did not meet one of the exemptions in Business and Professions Code section 6073.2(d) for the entire reporting period is required to report the amount of pro bono service hours provided in the past year. Even licensees who are exempt from reporting their pro bono hours must declare their exemption status in My State Bar Profile.
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