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Candidates sought for State Bar Court's hearing, review departments

Contact: Laura Ernde

415-538-2283

barcomm@calbar.ca.gov

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 12, 2016 — Candidates are sought to serve as State Bar Court judges. One Review Department and two Hearing Department judge positions are being filled.

An independent entity that acts as an administrative arm of the California Supreme Court, the State Bar Court hears and decides attorney disciplinary and regulatory proceedings and makes recommendations to the Supreme Court on those matters. California has the only independent State Bar Court in the country, with five judges who serve in the Review Department, the appellate level of the State Bar Court, and five judges who serve in the Hearing Department, the trial level of the court. 

The Supreme Court will appoint the review judge and one hearing judge in Los Angeles. The Senate Committee on Rules will select the other hearing judge in San Francisco. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 11.

The salary for a hearing judge is $172,637 a year, while a review judge currently makes $189,041 annually. The appointment for all three positions will be a six-year term. 

To qualify, applicants must, among other things, have been a member of the State Bar for at least five years, be an accomplished writer with the ability to perform legal analysis, have no record of discipline as an attorney in California or another jurisdiction and meet the requirements established by rule 9.11 of the California Rules of Court and Government Code section 12011.5.

Application forms and questionnaires are available through the State Bar Court’s website at www.statebarcourt.ca.gov/CurrentNotices.aspx. To request an application packet by mail, write to the State Bar of California, Office of the State Bar Court – JUDGE, 180 Howard St., 6th floor, San Francisco, CA 94105-1639. For more information, call 415- 538-2001.