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. 

The State Bar offers attorneys who would otherwise be inactive the opportunity to contribute their legal expertise to Californians in need through its Pro Bono Practice Program.

Participants who qualify can have their State Bar annual fees waived and also get free and reduced rates to attend Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE).

Learn more about the eligibility requirements and how to apply here.

The State Bar does not have a formal program for active attorneys.

The State Bar encourages attorneys to provide 50 hours of pro bono activity annually; however, even a few hours may have extraordinary positive impact on underserved individuals and groups.

Requests for duplicate audit notices and general questions regarding the MCLE Audit should be submitted to the State Bar’s MCLE Audit Team by completing a Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form online.  You may also call Attorney Regulation at 888-800-3400.

Pursuant to rule 9.44 of the California Rules of Court, you cannot:

• appear for a person other than yourself as attorney in any court, or before any magistrate or other judicial officer, in this state or prepare pleadings or any other papers or issue subpoenas in any action or proceeding brought in any court or before any judicial officer;
• prepare any deed, mortgage, assignment, discharge, lease or any other instrument affecting title to real estate located in the United States;
• prepare any will or trust instrument affecting the disposition on death of any property located in the United States and owned by a resident or any instrument relating to the administration of a decedent’s estate in the United States;
• prepare any instrument in the respect of the marital relations, rights or duties of a resident of the United States or the custody or care of the children of a resident; or
• otherwise render professional legal advice on the law of the State of California, any other state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the United States or any country other than the country in which you are admitted to practice law, whether rendered incident to preparation of legal instruments or otherwise.

Pursuant Title 3, Division 3, Chapter 4 of the Rules of the State Bar, you cannot claim in any way to be a licensee of the State Bar of California.

You must notify the State Bar of any changes in your status in any jurisdiction where you are admitted to practice or of discipline with respect to such admission within 30 days. Please do not wait to inform the State Bar of any changes until your annual renewal application is due.

Pursuant to rule 3.605 of the Rules of the State Bar, the State Bar does not intervene in disputes between a provider and an attendee or potential attendee. However, complaints that the State Bar receives regarding a provider are considered in assessing the provider’s compliance with State Bar certification rules. Please email your concerns to providers@calbar.ca.gov.

By law, all lawyers who handle small amounts of money for their clients, or money that is held for a short period of time, must participate in the program.

They must open interest- or dividend-bearing trust accounts at Eligible Financial Institutions and deposit all small and short-term sums into these accounts. They also must report annually to the State Bar whether or not they held a client trust account (including IOLTA) at any time during the prior year.

Once the account is designated an IOLTA account, lawyers are not responsible for ensuring that the interest is accumulated and forwarded to the State Bar.

The financial institutions with which the funds are deposited are responsible for complying with the law, and the IOLTA Program is responsible for monitoring compliance.

If your deceased attorney was part of a law firm or law partnership, that firm would maintain custody of your file.

If your deceased attorney was a sole practitioner, you will need to obtain new counsel. Generally, the executor or administrator of the attorney's estate is responsible for notifying clients and returning their files. In some instances, the local superior court may appoint a practice administrator to handle these duties.

In other instances, the deceased attorney's law practice may be sold to another member of the bar. (Such sales are governed by ethical limitations outlined in the Rules of Professional Conduct).

Finally, there are unfortunate instances in which an attorney dies leaving no responsible person in charge of the law practice. In those instances, the State Bar or local county bar associations may assist in winding down the law practice (after obtaining authorization from the Superior Court).

Your first step should be to contact the law offices of your deceased attorney to determine whether your file is available. If you are unsuccessful, you may contact the State Bar Office of Chief Trial Counsel: 800-843-9053

The Tester ID was displayed when you paid for the test, on the payment confirmation webpage. It was also emailed to the account you used when you registered with the State Bar or, for those not licensed in California, to the email address you entered when you started the Self-Study payment process. If you cannot find the email, please check your spam or junk folder.