Complaints Against Attorneys
800-843-9053 (toll free in California) 213-765-1200 (from outside California)
Filing a Complaint
Go to the Attorneys area. In addition, attorneys may call Licensee Regulation and Compliance at 888-800-3400 for questions about licensing duties and responsibilities.
Go to the Public section.
The State Bar of California licenses more than 250,000 attorneys. For more details, go to Bar Numbers.
By statute, the State Bar is required to maintain certain information about California attorneys. Go to Look Up A Lawyer and follow the directions. For information about hiring an attorney, see our Need Legal Help section.
The State Bar does not refer clients to lawyers or provide legal advice. We certify lawyer referral services and provide an online directory of certified lawyer referral services in your area who may be able to help you find a lawyer. Please see our Need Legal Help section for resources. The State Bar also publishes free legal information for consumers.
You can file a complaint online. If you prefer, you can download a complaint form, fill it out, and return it by mail. If you have questions about what information to provide on a complaint form, please call 800-843-9053.
If your deceased attorney was part of a law firm or law partnership, that firm would maintain custody of your file. If your deceased attorney was a sole practitioner, you will need to obtain new counsel. Generally, the executor or administrator of the attorney's estate is responsible for notifying clients and returning their files. In some instances, the local superior court may appoint a practice administrator to handle these duties.
In other instances, the deceased attorney's law practice may be sold to another member of the bar. (Such sales are governed by ethical limitations outlined in the Rules of Professional Conduct).
Finally, there are unfortunate instances in which an attorney dies leaving no responsible person in charge of the law practice. In those instances, the State Bar or local county bar associations may assist in winding down the law practice (after obtaining authorization from the Superior Court).
Your first step should be to contact the law offices of your deceased attorney to determine whether your file is available. If you are unsuccessful, you may contact the State Bar Office of Chief Trial Counsel: 800-843-9053
Information about becoming an attorney is in the Admissions section. There you'll find additional information about getting a legal education. You can also find information about taking the California Bar Exam.
You can find information about Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) compliance requirements and providers.
The State Bar's Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission (JNE) reviews the qualifications of judicial nominees submitted by the governor of California. Find additional information about JNE, including how to serve on the commission.
The Contact webpage lists offices and phone numbers.