Bill > AB2784

This bill makes several changes to the laws governing the State Bar of California, which is the public corporation responsible for licensing and regulating attorneys. Key provisions include updating the language required in notices for involuntary inactive enrollment to be clearer and in a larger font, and changing the State Bar's relationship with a voluntary association of attorneys, moving away from specific support for the California Lawyers Association (CLA) to a more general authorization to assist any voluntary association in areas like continuing legal education and gaining representation in the American Bar Association House of Delegates. The bill also clarifies that only entities awarding a juris doctorate (J.D.) degree and meeting specific approval or accreditation standards can call themselves a law school, expands the State Bar's ability to access attorney information during disciplinary investigations, and allows for immunity to be granted to attorneys who are the subject of investigations. Additionally, it adjusts the annual license fees for active and inactive attorneys for 2027, modifies how reimbursements to the Client Security Fund (a fund that compensates clients for losses due to attorney misconduct) are handled and collected, and restructures how revenue from attorney benefit programs is distributed, with a portion now going to California ChangeLawyers for legal aid initiatives. Finally, it repeals provisions related to the issuance of payment certificates for license fees and makes legislative findings to justify the confidentiality of information provided to the State Bar during investigations.

Justice

Judiciary (Assembly)

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2784