News Releases

California Supreme Court names Chair, Vice-Chair of the State Bar as part of continued governance reforms

The California Supreme Court appointed Michael G. Colantuono and Jason Lee as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the State Bar of California's Board of Trustees Wednesday, continuing the governance reforms recently enacted under SB 36.

The appointments mark an important step in the transition to an all-appointed Board and appointed Board leadership.

Colantuono is the first openly LGBTQ person to serve as the head of the State Bar and Lee is one of the first Asian Americans to serve in a State Bar Board leadership role.  

The State Bar Board elected Colantuono and Lee as President and Vice-President in September 2017 before SB 36 was signed into law.                                                           

Colantuono and Lee will continue to lead the agency in governance and structural reforms aimed at greater accountability, transparency, effectiveness and focus on the State Bar’s public protection mission.

"I am grateful for this appointment and am firmly committed to working with the State Bar's Board and hard-working staff to ensure that we are focused on our public protection mission. Our work is critical because all Californians deserve access to an ethical and qualified attorney," Colantuono said.

"I thank the Court and am honored to serve in this role as the State Bar continues implementing important reforms. Together, we are ensuring that the State Bar is properly regulating attorneys, promoting access to justice, and advancing diversity and inclusion in the legal profession," Lee said.

The next meeting of the State Bar's Board of Trustees is January 25-27, 2018, and will include its annual strategic planning session. Information about public meetings of the State Bar, including agendas and webcasts, is available online.

More about Michael G. Colantuono and Jason Lee

Colantuono has served on the State Bar Board of Trustees since 2012, when he was appointed by then-Assembly Speaker John Perez. He was reappointed in 2015 by Speaker Toni Atkins.

Lee has served on the State Bar Board of Trustees since 2015 and was appointed by the California Supreme Court.

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The State Bar of California’s mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.