Provisional Licensure Program Background

In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2020, the California Supreme Court directed the State Bar “to implement, as soon as possible, a temporary supervised provisional licensure program—a limited license to practice specified areas of law under the supervision of a licensed attorney.” The State Bar convened the Provisional Licensure Working Group, led by Trustee Hailyn Chen, which crafted the draft rule. Following the adoption of the initial rule, which applied only to “2020 law graduates,” the Working Group reconvened and developed a rule to expand the program and create a pathway to licensure for a defined set of previous bar takers.

Program for 2020 graduates

On October 22, 2020, the California Supreme Court issued an administrative order approving new rule 9.49, which implemented a Provisional Licensure Program for 2020 law school graduates. The program launched on November 17, 2020.

The original program allows eligible 2020 law school graduates to practice law as provisionally licensed lawyers under the supervision of fully licensed lawyers who meet the requirements of the rule and who agree to assume professional responsibility over the work of the provisionally licensed lawyers. To become fully licensed, they must take and pass a bar exam and meet all other requirements for admission. The program was scheduled to sunset on June 1, 2022. On May 26, 2022, the Supreme Court extended the program until December 31, 2022.

On December 23, 2022, to give participants more time to complete the program requirements, the Supreme Court extended the program to May 31, 2023. Those who satisfied all program requirements but had not yet successfully passed the California Bar Exam received an extension to December 31, 2025.

On June 11, 2025, the Supreme Court extended the program to December 31, 2027.

Pathway program

On January 28, 2021, the California Supreme Court issued an administrative order approving rule 9.49.1, expanding the Provisional Licensure Program. The expanded program applies to individuals who scored between 1390 and 1439 on any California Bar Exam administered between July 2015 and February 2020, as determined by the first read score or final score.

Those eligible for the expanded program do not need to retake a bar exam if they complete 300 hours of supervised legal practice in the Provisional Licensure Program, receive a positive evaluation from their supervisor(s), and fulfill all other requirements for admission to the State Bar. This program was also scheduled to sunset on June 1, 2022. On May 26, 2022, the Supreme Court extended the program until December 31, 2022, and on December 23, 2022, extended the program to December 31, 2025. The Court also reopened the application period for this program.

Related links

Background links