News Releases

At its May 14 meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved establishment of a joint Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of the California Bar Exam, in partnership with the California Supreme Court.

Today the State Bar released results of the February 2020 California Bar Exam and announced that 1,128 people (26.8 percent of applicants) passed the General Bar Exam. If those who passed satisfy all other requirements for admission, they will be eligible to be licensed by the State Bar to practice law in California.

The State Bar of California has seized the unauthorized law practice of a San Francisco woman who victimized immigrants from Russia and Mongolia, claiming she could help them with their immigration matters. 

As interest rates drop to historically low rates amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Bar of California continues to work with banks to maintain and maximize the interest income that supports free legal services for vulnerable Californians through the Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. This week, the State Bar announced that eight more financial institutions have agreed to become Leadership Banks, using their financial wherewithal to support access to justice for low-income Californians. 

A newly established State Bar working group charged with developing recommendations for the creation of a paraprofessional licensure/certification program to increase access to legal services holds its first meeting on April 21. Meeting Agenda.

At its April 16 virtual meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved several emergency rule changes to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 emergency on licensees, program participants, members of the public, and State Bar staff. The Board also approved the Memoranda of Understanding with the State Bar’s represented staff for 2020–2022.

As of March 17, the State Bar of California announced operational changes in keeping with the evolving preventative public health guidelines for the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The Los Angeles and San Francisco offices are closed to the public, and with limited exceptions, staff are being required to telecommute.

At its March 12 meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees engaged in a robust discussion on the final report of the Task Force on Access Through Innovation of Legal Services (ATILS). The Board approved several of the Task Force’s recommendations, including a recommendation to circulate for public comment changes to two Rules of Professional Conduct. The Board deferred until May action on proposals related to the establishment of a working group to explore a regulatory sandbox. The Board also approved other measures furthering the State Bar’s access goal.

As part of National Consumer Protection Week March 1–7, the State Bar of California has published an updated and expanded set of consumer pamphlets in multiple languages and updated the consumer protection section of its website.