Division 1. Licensee Record

TITLE 2. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LICENSEES DIVISION 1. LICENSEE RECORD

Adopted July 2007; last amended effective November 14, 2024.

Rule 2.1 Roll of attorneys

The State Bar maintains, on the official licensee records of the State Bar, the roll of all attorneys admitted to practice in California.1

Rule 2.1 adopted effective June 17, 2006; amended effective January 25, 2019.

Rule 2.2 Public information; duty to update licensee record

(A) Licensees are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of the information in their State Bar record. Except for nonpublic email addresses provided pursuant to rule 9.9(a)(2) of the California Rules of Court and paragraph (B)(2) of this rule and trust account information provided pursuant to State Bar rule 2.5 and paragraph (B)(8) of this rule, all information contained in the official licensee record is presumptively public, is collected and retained for the State Bar’s regulatory purposes, and may be subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act unless that disclosure is otherwise prohibited by law.

(B) A licensee shall report to the State Bar:

  1. Last name, first name, and any middle names;

  2. A nonpublic email address to be used for State Bar communications;

  3. Office address or, if no office is maintained, an address to be used for State Bar purposes;

  4. Office telephone number, or, if no office is maintained, a telephone number to be used for State Bar purposes;

  5. A professional website, if one is maintained;

  6. Practice sector;

  7. The number of attorneys, including the licensee, at their law firm, company, agency, or organization, regardless of where those attorneys are licensed or physically located; 

  8. Trust account information, as set forth in rule 2.5;

  9. All legal specialties in which the licensee is certified;

  10. Any other jurisdictions in which the licensee is admitted and the date(s) of admission;

  11. The jurisdiction, and the nature and date of any discipline imposed by another jurisdiction, including the terms and conditions of any probation imposed, and, if suspended or disbarred in another jurisdiction, the date of any reinstatement in that jurisdiction;

  12. Any other information as directed by the California Supreme Court;

  13. Any other information as may be required by agreement with or by conditions of probation imposed by any other government agency; and

  14. Any other information as may be required by law.

(C) With the exception of the number of attorneys, including the licensee, at their law firm, company, agency, or organization under subsection (B)(7), certified legal specialties under subsection (B)(9) or admission to a new jurisdiction under subsection (B)(10), a licensee shall report to the State Bar a change in any of the information in subsection (B) no later than 30 days after the change and shall verify such information each year on or before the deadline set forth in the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines, as well as at other times as determined by the State Bar. Changes in the number of attorneys, certified legal specialties, and admission to a new jurisdiction shall be reported during the annual license renewal process.

(D) A licensee may report the following information to the State Bar:

  1. An email address to be posted publicly;

  2. Fax number;

  3. Area of practice; and

  4. Languages spoken by the attorney or office staff.

(E) The following additional information shall also be a part of a licensee’s public record and shall be maintained by the State Bar:

  1. State bar license number;

  2. Date of admission in California;

  3. Law school attended; 

  4. California Lawyers Association section membership, if any;

  5. License status;

  6. Date and any transfer from one license status to another; and

  7. Date and period of any discipline imposed in California.

(F) A licensee must verify the information in subsection (B) prior to return to active status.

(G) Noncompliance with the requirements of this rule is the failure to comply with any provision of this rule or the failure to pay penalties for noncompliance as set forth in the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines.

(H) A licensee who fails to comply with this rule shall be enrolled as inactive and not eligible to practice law. The enrollment as inactive is administrative and no hearing is required. Enrollment as inactive under this rule terminates when a licensee submits proof of compliance and pays noncompliance and reinstatement fees.

Rule 2.2 adopted effective June 17, 2006; amended effective March 10, 2017; amended effective January 25, 2019; amended effective December 1, 2020; amended effective January 1, 2024; amended effective November 14, 2024.

Rule 2.3 [REPEALED]

Rule 2.3 adopted effective June 17, 2006; amended effective January 25, 2019; repealed effective December 1, 2020.

Rule 2.4 [REPEALED]

Rule 2.4 adopted effective July 20, 2007; amended effective January 25, 2019; repealed effective December 1, 2020.

 

 

1 California Rules of Court, rule 9.8.