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.
I had a bad experience with a Live Scan vendor. Can I report them to the State Bar?
Live Scan vendors are contracted through the DOJ and are not under the authority of the State Bar. Live Scan vendor complaints may be submitted to the State Bar, which will be sent to the DOJ. If you recently submitted your fingerprints through a DOJ-contracted Live Scan vendor and have had a negative experience, we encourage you to complete the Live Scan Vendor Complaint Form and email the completed form to the State Bar.
Will I be assessed fees from the State Bar?
Yes. The 2025 annual fees will be available to calculate and pay online through My State Bar Profile effective February 1, 2025.
What if I didn’t take enough courses during the compliance period?
Failure to complete the requirements during the compliance period will result in your having to make up the deficiency. You will have to submit all required hours to the online log and then submit the proof of compliance. You will also need to provide the audit submission cover sheet, a brief cover letter explaining why you were unable to complete the requirements during the compliance period along with the $205 deficiency fee for non-compliance by the 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.
Can I omit my residential address from the PHV application?
No. Pursuant to rule 9.40 of the California Rules of Court, the application must include the out-of-state attorney's residence and office address.
Do I need to report arrests?
No. Arrests are not reportable actions under current law, and the fact that an attorney has been arrested is not an independent basis for disbarment or suspension.
What types of courses do you offer?
We offer a variety of online courses, the majority of which qualify for Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit, with a focus on required credits such as legal ethics and attorney competency. All courses are self-paced, allowing you to start, pause, and continue learning whenever it works best for you.
Is my payment information secure?
Yes, payments are processed through a secure gateway, and we do not store your card details.
Can I take 10 hours of continuing legal education on similar topics provided by another source to satisfy the New Attorney Training Program?
No. All persons newly admitted to the State Bar of California must take the New Attorney Training Program courses produced by the State Bar and offered through the e-learning portal.
No other courses will satisfy completion of the New Attorney Training requirement for new admittees.
The course is stuck on a particular screen and won’t proceed or progress from that point.
Make sure that you have completed all interactive elements on the screen. The “NEXT” button will only activate once all of the screen elements have been completed. In addition, please allow the screen seek bar to progress on its own. If you manually drag it to complete the course, the “NEXT” button may not activate properly.
What are the different levels of discipline that the State Bar Court imposes on attorneys?
The Probation Unit of the Office of Chief Trial Counsel monitors attorneys' compliance with the conditions imposed on suspensions and reprovals.
The State Bar Court also may put attorneys on involuntary inactive status if they appear to pose a serious threat to the public.
If a State Bar investigation indicates that an attorney's conduct only bordered on a violation or was a minor breach, State Bar prosecutors may choose an alternative to discipline.
The State Bar's Office of Chief Trial Counsel could decide to send a Directional or Warning Letter to the attorney - and close the case. Or they could issue an Admonition informing the attorney that no further action will take place as long as they stay out of trouble for two years. Or they could settle on an Agreement in Lieu of Discipline that requires the attorney to fulfill specially tailored remedial conditions.
Does the Ethics Hotline provide written responses?
No, the Ethics Hotline does not provide written opinions or research memoranda. Assistance is offered by phone, and staff will identify relevant rules, cases, and ethics opinions during the call.
What is the Ethics Hotline?
The Ethics Hotline is a confidential research service provided by the State Bar of California. It offers guidance to licensed attorneys on questions related to their professional responsibilities under the Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act.
How can people comment while the program is being developed?
Meeting materials are posted online in advance. Written comments may be sent to adrwg@calbar.ca.gov, and oral comments are allowed at the start of each Working Group meeting. Once a tentative proposal is ready, it will be posted online for preliminary public comment.
Contact us
Need additional help? Visit our Contact Us page for additional resources.
