ARTICLE 2. Administration [6010. - 6034.1.]

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC 2.

in effect

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6010. Section 6010.

(a) The State Bar is governed by a board known as the board of trustees of the State Bar. The board has the powers and duties conferred by this chapter. (b) As used in this chapter or any other provision of law, “board of governors” shall be deemed to refer to the board of trustees.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6011. Section 6011.

(a) The board shall appoint an executive director of the State Bar, who shall be responsible for the leadership and management of the State Bar according to the strategic direction set by the board. (b) The board shall appoint a lawyer admitted to practice in California to serve as the executive director of the State Bar. The executive director shall be appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed for additional four-year terms. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The executive director shall not engage in private practice. The State Bar shall notify the Senate Committee on Rules and the Senate and Assembly Committees on Judiciary within seven days of the dismissal or hiring of an executive director. (c) The appointment of the executive director is subject to confirmation by the Senate, and the time limits prescribed in Section 1774 of the Government Code for Senate confirmation and for service in office are applicable to the appointment. (d) This section applies to persons appointed as the executive director on or after January 1, 2024.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6012. Section 6012.

(a) The board shall appoint a general counsel of the State Bar to serve as the chief legal advisor to the board on issues not related to attorney discipline. (b) The board shall appoint a lawyer admitted to practice in California to serve as general counsel of the State Bar. The general counsel shall be appointed for a term of four years and may be reappointed for additional four-year terms. The general counsel shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The general counsel shall not engage in private practice. The State Bar shall notify the Senate Committee on Rules and the Senate and Assembly Committees on Judiciary within seven days of the dismissal or hiring of a general counsel. (c) The appointment of the general counsel is subject to confirmation by the Senate, and the time limits prescribed in Section 1774 of the Government Code for Senate confirmation and for service in office are applicable to the appointment. (d) This section applies to persons appointed general counsel on or after January 1, 2024.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6013.1. Section 6013.1.

(a) The Supreme Court shall appoint five attorney members of the board pursuant to a process that the Supreme Court may prescribe. These attorney members shall serve for a term of four years and may be reappointed by the Supreme Court for one additional term only. (b) The Supreme Court shall fill any vacancy in the term of, and make any reappointment of, any appointed attorney member. (c) When making appointments to the board, the Supreme Court should consider appointing attorneys that represent the following categories: legal services; small firm or solo practitioners; historically underrepresented groups, including consideration of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation; and legal academics. In making appointments to the board, the Supreme Court should also consider geographic distribution, years of practice, particularly attorneys who are within the first five years of practice or 36 years of age and under, and participation in voluntary local or state bar activities. (d) The State Bar shall be responsible for carrying out the administrative responsibilities related to the appointment process described in subdivision (a).

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6013.3. Section 6013.3.

(a) One attorney member of the board shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one attorney member of the board shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (b) An attorney member appointed pursuant to this section shall serve for a term of four years. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the term. An appointed attorney member may be reappointed pursuant to this section.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6013.5. Section 6013.5.

(a) Effective January 1, 2018, a maximum of six members of the board shall be members of the public who have never been licensees of the State Bar or admitted to practice before any court in the United States. (b) Each of these members shall serve for a term of four years. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the term. (c) Effective January 1, 2018, one public member shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules and one public member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly. (d) Four public members shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the Senate. (e) Each respective appointing authority shall fill any vacancy in and make any reappointment to each respective office.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6013.5.5. Section 6013.5.5.

Subdivision (c) of Section 450 and Sections 450.2 to 450.6, inclusive, shall apply to public members appointed or reappointed on or after January 1, 2012.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6013.6. Section 6013.6.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), any full-time employee of any public agency who serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California shall not suffer any loss of rights, promotions, salary increases, retirement benefits, tenure, or other job-related benefits, which he or she would otherwise have been entitled to receive. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (a), any public agency which employs a person who serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California may reduce the employee’s salary, but no other right or job-related benefit, pro rata to the extent that the employee does not work the number of hours required by statute or written regulation to be worked by other employees of the same grade in any particular pay period and the employee does not claim available leave time. The employee shall be afforded the opportunity to perform job duties during other than regular working hours if such a work arrangement is practical and would not be a burden to the public agency. (c) The Legislature finds that service as a member of the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California by a person employed by a public agency is in the public interest.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6015. Section 6015.

No person is eligible for attorney membership on the board unless both of the following conditions are satisfied: (a) He or she is an active licensee of the State Bar. (b) Either: (1) Prior to October 31, 2020, if elected, he or she maintains his or her principal office for the practice of law within the State Bar district from which he or she is elected. (2) If appointed by the Supreme Court or the Legislature, he or she maintains his or her principal office for the practice of law within the State of California.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6016. Section 6016.

(a) The term of office of each attorney member of the board shall be four years. Vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the term. (b) The board of trustees may provide by rule for an interim board to act in the place and stead of the board when because of vacancies during terms of office there is less than a quorum of the board. (c) The time served during the remainder of a midterm vacancy by any member appointed to fill that vacancy shall not count toward any term limits for the member filling the vacancy.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6016.2. Section 6016.2.

(a) Each appointing authority may remove from office at any time any member of the board appointed by that authority for continued neglect of duties required by law, or for incompetence or unprofessional or dishonorable conduct. (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed as a limitation or restriction on the power of the appointing authority conferred on the appointing authority by any other provision of law to remove any member of the board. (c) As used in this section, “appointing authority” means the person or entity with authority to make an appointment to the board as provided in this article.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6019. Section 6019.

Each place upon the board for which a member is to be appointed shall for the purposes of the appointment be deemed a separate office.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6020. Section 6020.

The officers of the State Bar are a chair, a vice chair, and a secretary.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6021. Section 6021.

(a) The selection of the chair and vice chair of the board shall be made by appointment of the Supreme Court. (b) The chair and the vice chair shall each be appointed for a term not to exceed two years. The chair and vice chair shall assume the duties of their respective offices at the conclusion of the September meeting following their appointment. The chair and vice chair shall not serve more than two terms, except that a chair or vice chair who is appointed to fill a vacancy for the balance of a term is eligible to serve two full terms in addition to the remainder of the term for which they were appointed.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6023. Section 6023.

The officers of the State Bar shall continue in office until their successors are appointed or selected.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6024. Section 6024.

The chair shall preside at all meetings of the State Bar and of the board, and in the event of his or her absence or inability to act, the vice chair shall preside. Other duties of the chair and the vice chair, and the duties of the secretary, shall be such as the board may prescribe.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6025. Section 6025.

Subject to the laws of this state, the board may formulate and declare rules and regulations necessary or expedient for the carrying out of this chapter.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6026.7. Section 6026.7.

(a) The State Bar is subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and all meetings of the State Bar are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act shall not apply to the Judicial Nominees Evaluation Commission or the State Bar Court. (c) In addition to the grounds authorized in the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, a closed session may be held for those meetings, or portions thereof, relating to any of the following: (1) Appeals from decisions of the Board of Legal Specialization refusing to certify or recertify an applicant or suspending or revoking a specialist’s certificate. (2) The preparation of examination materials, the approval, the grading, or the security of test administration of examinations for certification of a specialist. (3) The preparation of examination materials, the approval, the grading, or the security of test administration of the California Bar Examination or the First-Year Law Students’ Examination. (4) Matters related to the Committee of Bar Examiners’ consideration of moral character, including allegations of criminal or professional misconduct, competence, or physical or mental health of an individual, requests by applicants for testing accommodations in connection with an application for admission to practice law, or appeals of the Committee of Bar Examiners’ determinations. (5) Information about a law school’s operations that constitutes a trade secret as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 3426.1 of the Civil Code. (6) Matters related to the board’s consideration of waiving confidentiality related to records of disciplinary proceedings under subdivision (c) of Section 6086.1. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 11125.7 of the Government Code, the State Bar shall accept public comment in open session on all matters that are agendized for discussion or decision by the board of trustees, whether in an open or a closed session. (e) The Committee of Bar Examiners shall not be considered an advisory board, advisory commission, advisory committee, advisory subcommittee, or similar multimember advisory body, as described in Section 11123.5 of the Government Code, for purposes of the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6026.11. Section 6026.11.

The State Bar is subject to the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code) and all public records and writings of the State Bar are subject to the California Public Records Act.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6027. Section 6027.

Special meetings of the State Bar may be held at such times and places as the board provides.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6028. Section 6028.

(a) The board may make appropriations and disbursements from the funds of the State Bar to pay all necessary expenses for effectuating the purposes of this chapter. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), no member of the board shall receive any other compensation than his or her necessary expenses connected with the performance of his or her duties as a member of the board. (c) Public members of the board appointed pursuant to the provisions of Section 6013.5 and public members of the examining committee appointed pursuant to Section 6046.5 shall receive, out of funds appropriated by the board for this purpose, fifty dollars ($50) per day for each day actually spent in the discharge of official duties, but in no event shall this payment exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per month. In addition, these public members shall receive, out of funds appropriated by the board, necessary expenses connected with the performance of their duties.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6029. Section 6029.

(a) The board may appoint such committees, officers and employees as it deems necessary or proper, and fix and pay salaries and necessary expenses. (b) The members of the executive committee of the board shall include at least one board member appointed by each of the following appointing authorities: (1) The Supreme Court. (2) The Governor. (3) The Speaker of the Assembly. (4) The Senate Committee on Rules.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6030. Section 6030.

The board shall be charged with the executive function of the State Bar and the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter. The violation or threatened violation of any provision of Articles 7 (commencing with Section 6125) and 9 (commencing with Section 6150) of this chapter may be enjoined in a civil action brought in the superior court by the State Bar and no undertaking shall be required of the State Bar.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6031. Section 6031.

(a) The board may aid in all matters pertaining to the advancement of the science of jurisprudence or to the improvement of the administration of justice. (b) Notwithstanding this section or any other law, the board shall not conduct or participate in, or authorize any committee, agency, employee, or commission of the State Bar to conduct or participate in any evaluation, review, or report on the qualifications, integrity, diligence, or judicial ability of any specific justice of a court provided for in Section 2 or 3 of Article VI of the California Constitution without prior review and statutory authorization by the Legislature. The provisions of this subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit a licensee of the State Bar from conducting or participating in such an evaluation, review, or report in his or her individual capacity. The provisions of this subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit an evaluation of potential judicial appointees or nominees as authorized by Section 12011.5 of the Government Code.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6031.5. Section 6031.5.

(a) The California Lawyers Association and its activities shall not be funded with mandatory fees collected pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 6140. The State Bar may provide the California Lawyers Association with administrative and support services, provided the California Lawyers Association agrees, before such services are provided, to the nature, scope, and cost of those services. The State Bar shall be reimbursed for the full cost of those services out of funds collected pursuant to subdivision (b) or funds provided by the California Lawyers Association. The financial audit specified in Section 6145 shall confirm that the amount assessed by the State Bar for providing the services reimburses the costs of providing them, and shall verify that mandatory fees are not used to fund the California Lawyers Association. The State Bar and the California Lawyers Association may also contract for other services provided by the State Bar or by the California Lawyers Association. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, the State Bar shall collect fees for the California Lawyers Association provided the Board of Trustees of the State Bar determines that the California Lawyers Association continues to serve a public purpose by providing the services described in subdivision (f) of Section 6056. The California Lawyers Association shall pay for the actual costs of the collection. (c) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the State Bar is expressly authorized to collect, in conjunction with the State Bar’s collection of its annual license fees up to and through the collection of fees authorized for the year 2019, voluntary fees or donations on behalf of the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations, the independent nonprofit successor entity to the former Conference of Delegates of the State Bar which has been incorporated for the purposes of aiding in matters pertaining to the advancement of the science of jurisprudence or to the improvement of the administration of justice, and to convey any unexpended voluntary fees or donations previously made to the Conference of Delegates of the State Bar pursuant to this section to the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations. The Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations shall pay for the cost of the collection. The State Bar and the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations may also contract for other services. The financial audit specified in Section 6145 shall confirm that the amount of any contract shall fully cover the costs of providing the services, and shall verify that mandatory fees are not used to fund any successor entity. (2) The Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations, which is the independent nonprofit successor entity to the former Conference of Delegates of the State Bar as referenced in paragraph (1), is a voluntary association, is not a part of the State Bar of California, and shall not be funded in any way through mandatory fees collected by the State Bar of California. Any contribution or membership option included with a State Bar of California mandatory fees billing statement shall include a statement that the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations is not a part of the State Bar of California and that membership in that organization is voluntary. (3) This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2020.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6032. Section 6032.

Notwithstanding any other law, the State Bar is expressly authorized to collect, in conjunction with the State Bar’s collection of its annual license fees, voluntary fees on behalf of and for the purpose of funding the California Supreme Court Historical Society, which advances the science of jurisprudence by preserving and disseminating to the general public the history of the Supreme Court and the Judicial Branch.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6032.1. Section 6032.1.

Notwithstanding any other law, the State Bar is expressly authorized to collect, in conjunction with the State Bar’s collection of its annual license fees, voluntary donations on behalf of and for the purpose of funding California ChangeLawyers, which promotes a better justice system for all Californians.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6032.5. Section 6032.5.

(a) The Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Account is hereby established within the State Treasury. (b) Funds from an IOLTA account that escheat to the state and are deposited into the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Account pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1564.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, by the Student Aid Commission for the purpose of providing increased funding for, both the administration of and the provision of loan assistance pursuant to, the Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Program pursuant to Article 12 (commencing with Section 69740) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6033. Section 6033.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the State Bar is expressly authorized to facilitate the professional responsibilities of licensees by collecting, in conjunction with the State Bar’s collection of its annual license fees or otherwise, voluntary financial support for nonprofit organizations that provide free legal services to persons of limited means. All funds received for programs related to this section shall be distributed to qualified legal services projects and support centers as provided in Section 6216 without deduction for administrative fees, costs, or expenses by the State Bar. Any fees, costs, or expenses associated with administering this section shall be absorbed within the costs allowed by and paid from the funds specified in Section 6216. (b) To implement this section, the State Bar, in consultation with the Chief Justice of California, shall appoint a task force of key stakeholders to analyze the mechanisms and experience of bar associations that have adopted programs for the collection of financial contributions from bar licensees and shall propose an appropriate method for facilitating the collection and distribution of voluntary contributions that is best calculated to generate the greatest level of financial support and participation from State Bar licensees, taking into account such issues as the justice-gap between the legal needs of low-income people in California and the legal resources available to assist them. The method and any recommended voluntary contribution amount adopted by the Board of Trustees of the State Bar of California shall be implemented for the 2008 fiscal year, and shall be reviewed and adjusted as needed after two years and, thereafter, every five years as needed, in consultation with affected service providers and other key stakeholders.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6034. Section 6034.

(a) The State Bar of California is authorized and directed to participate as a state agency in the Interagency Intercept Collections Program established pursuant to Section 12419.2 of the Government Code for the collection of any unpaid amounts owed to the State Bar of California, including any fine, penalty, assessment, cost, or reimbursement imposed under Section 6086.10, subdivision (c) of Section 6140.5, and any other applicable law. All funds received by the State Bar of California shall be allocated for the purposes established pursuant to Section 6033. (b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2026.

Cal. Business and Professions Code - BPC § 6034.1. Section 6034.1.

(a) Any entity of the State Bar of California exploring a regulatory sandbox shall do all of the following: (1) Prioritize protecting individuals, especially those in need of legal assistance, from unscrupulous actors, including those actors seeking to do business in the legal field, above all else. (2) Prioritize increasing access to justice for persons who qualify for legal assistance from qualified legal services organizations or from State Department of Social Services-funded immigration legal services. (3) Exclude corporate ownership of law firms and splitting legal fees with nonlawyers, which has historically been banned by common law and statute due to grave concerns that it could undermine consumer protection by creating conflicts of interests that are difficult to overcome and fundamentally infringe on the basic and paramount obligations of attorneys to their clients. (4) Adhere to, and not propose any abrogation of, the restrictions on the unauthorized practice of law, including, but not limited to, Sections 13405 and 16951 of the Corporations Code. (b) This section does not limit the State Bar’s ability to provide limited practice licenses to law students and law graduates under certain conditions, and with the supervision of an active State Bar-licensed attorney. (c) This section does not limit the examination of the use of technology to increase access to justice for persons who qualify for legal assistance from qualified legal services organizations or from State Department of Social Services-funded immigration legal services, low-income individuals, and small businesses, so long as proposals adhere to, and do not propose any abrogation of, the restrictions on the unauthorized practice of law, including, but not limited to, Sections 13405 and 16951 of the Corporations Code. (d) This section does not preclude the State Bar from seeking feedback from legal services organizations, including organizations that provide legal services in family law and immigration law, community-based organizations, and consumers about options for increasing access to legal services. (e) The State Bar shall not expend any funds, regardless of the source, on activities that do not meet the requirements of this section. (f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2025.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026