State Bar Act: expedited licensure: federal attorneys.

The California Assembly Judiciary Committee has put forward comprehensive changes to attorney licensure requirements, creating new pathways for experienced out-of-state lawyers to practice in California while establishing protections related to cross-jurisdictional disciplinary actions.

Under the proposed modifications, attorneys licensed and in good standing in other U.S. jurisdictions for at least four years may qualify for admission to the California bar through alternative means, rather than being required to take the standard bar examination. The bill directs the State Bar to develop an expedited licensing process specifically for federal government attorneys who were employed as of January 20, 2025, have four years of practice experience, maintain clean disciplinary records, and can obtain an attestation of competence from a California attorney.

The legislation also addresses interstate disciplinary matters by establishing "excluded events" - actions taken in other states related to services that would be legal in California. These events, which include civil judgments, judicial sanctions, criminal charges, and professional discipline, cannot serve as grounds for California disciplinary action or bar admission denial. The measure includes an urgency clause citing the need to rapidly fill critical legal positions, particularly in public defender offices, with qualified federal attorneys.