California
CLE Requirements: The State Bar of California requires attorneys to complete 25 credits, including 4 credits of legal ethics, 2 credits of competence issues (of which one must be prevention and detection competence), 2 credits of elimination of bias (of which one must be implicit bias), 1 credit of civility, and 1 in technology by January 31 every three years. There are three compliance groups, assigned by last name and staggered by year. All credits must be reported by February 1. No credits may be carried over to the next reporting period. For more information, please visit the FAQ page on the State Bar of California website.
NEW! The State Bar of California is implementing changes to the MCLE course requirements effective October 1, 2023. Beginning with the compliance period ending January 31, 2025, licensees will be required to also complete and report compliance on the following new subfields:
- Technology in the Practice of Law credit (one hour required)
- One hour addressing technology in the practice of law, including education on technology tools, programs, or applications to assist attorneys in their law practice.
- Civility in the Legal Profession credit (one hour required)
- One hour addressing civility in the legal profession, including education that discusses the link between civility and bias, incivility that is directed at opposing parties or counsel, and incivility aimed at the judiciary.
- Competence credit (Increased from one credit to two)
- At least one hour focused on prevention and detection education that addresses substance use or other mental or physical issues that impair a licensee’s ability to perform legal services with competence (prevention and detection competence); and
- An optional hour focused on wellness education, including physical and mental wellness and wellbeing or stress management, in the context of the practice of law and the impact these issues can have on an attorney’s ability to perform legal services with competence (wellness competence).
California had also recently revised their Rule 2.72 of the Rules of the State Bar to increase the elimination of bias requirement from one hour to two and to establish a sub-topic devoted to implicit bias. At least one of those two hours must be focused on implicit bias and the promotion of bias-reducing strategies to address how unintended biases regarding race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics undermine confidence in the legal system. A licensee shall meet the requirements of this section for each MCLE compliance period ending after January 31, 2022.
Learn about the specific requirements for newly-admitted California attorneys.
Completing Your California Requirements with PLI: All PLI and SEC Institute products qualify as "participatory" credit. There is no limit to the number of credits an attorney can earn via participatory programs. View all CLE programs approved in California. View programs approved for legal ethics, recognition and elimination of bias, implicit bias, prevention and detection competence, wellness competence, technology in the practice of law, and civility in the legal profession in California.
PLI is an approved Multiple Activity Provider with the State Bar of California, and our programs are presumptively approved.
Attendance Reporting: PLI reports attendance to the State Bar of California.