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.
The State Bar conducts an annual Attorney Census to gather demographic and employment data from the state’s licensees. The Attorney Census contains questions on demographic characteristics, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and veteran’s status. For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions about the Attorney Census.
How do I print a certificate of completion for MCLE credit?
Go to Certificate of Completion, enter your Tester ID, then click the Next button. The MCLE Self-Study Certificate of Completion, Test, and Answers will display. To print only your certificate of completion, please choose the "Printer friendly version - MCLE certificate only" link at the top of that webpage.
I paid $25 for the wrong test. What can I do?
If you paid $25 for a particular test, you can take only that test. If you wish to take a different test, you must pay $25 for that article and test. If you wish a refund, please contact us at feedback@calbar.ca.gov. Be sure to close and restart your web browser before trying to take a new test.
Can I get a refund after purchasing the course?
You may request a refund within 60 days of your purchase as long as the course has not been accessed. Refunds for courses with technical issues will be prioritized. Processing may take up to 90 days. Credit card fees are nonrefundable. To request a refund, email elearning@calbar.ca.gov. Please provide your name, your bar number, the name of the course you are requesting a refund for, the reason for the refund request, the date of purchase, and a copy of the transaction receipt.
Do I need to identify myself in any particular way?
Yes. When providing legal services pursuant to rule 9.45, you must use the title "Registered Legal Services Attorney." That title may not be used in connection with any other activities, and you may not in any way hold yourself out as a licensed attorney of the State Bar of California.
Am I eligible if I am a California resident?
No. (Rule 9.47 & 9.48)
Do I have to take the California bar exam?
No. You must meet all of the requirements for admission to the California bar except that you do not need to take the bar exam or the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam.
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 a legal services attorney. 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 www.calbar.ca.gov>Bar Exam>Moral Character.
Will registered legal services attorneys or in-house counsel receive a certificate of registration?
Yes. They will receive a standard certificate once the registration process is complete.
Are there any special advertising requirements?
Yes. You must indicate on any advertising accessible in California (including internet ads) either that you are not a California bar attorney or that you are admitted to practice only in the states listed in your advertising.
Are there any special advertising requirements?
Yes. You must indicate on any advertising accessible in California (including internet ads) either that you are not a California bar attorney or that you are admitted to practice only in the states listed in your advertising.
I was not practicing law for a portion of the compliance period. Do I owe all 25 hours?
The only time that a lattorney (or licensee) is not subject to the MCLE requirement is during the time s/he is officially on Inactive status. If the attorney remains an Active attorney, he/she is subject to the MCLE requirement, regardless of whether the attorney is practicing law. See Inactive Status for more information.
If an attorney is Inactive for a portion of the compliance period, the MCLE education requirement is pro-rated, based on the number of months during the compliance period that s/he is subject to. (See Requirements)
I reside overseas and the fingerprint vendor refused to sign the card, what do I do?
If you are at an overseas fingerprint vendor and the technician fails to sign the fingerprinting cards, please contact FingerPrinting Card Request for further assistance.
The Live Scan form has the State Bar of California listed as my employer. Is this an error?
No, this is not an error. The DOJ Live Scan process requires the employer section of the form to indicate “The State Bar of California.” As part of DOJ and FBI procedures for sharing any criminal offender record information, the entity receiving this information must be listed under the employer section of the Live Scan form. The Live Scan vendor must enter specific information provided on the Live Scan form into the Live Scan software to ensure any information regarding the person’s criminal offender record information goes to the correct agency.
Please do not modify the prepopulated Employer section of the form. Changes to this section could result in failure to successfully submit your fingerprints to the DOJ.
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