Transparency and Accountability
The State Bar is committed to transparency and accountability in all aspects of its work. That commitment is enshrined in the State Bar’s 2022–2027 Five-Year Strategic Plan, and has led to sweeping policy changes and mandates, with more to come.
State Bar releases Girardi Lazar/May reports, reforms continue
In March 2023, the State Bar released redacted copies of the Lazar/May reports addressing the State Bar’s past handling of complaints against disbarred attorney Thomas Girardi. The Board decided to release the reports to further the agency’s public protection mission and its commitment to transparency and accountability. In the aftermath of Girardi, reforms—such as the new rule 8.3 and CTAPP attorney reporting requirements—were initiated by the State Bar.
Higher ethical standards for Board, leadership, members of subentities, and staff
The Board’s Ad Hoc Commission on Oversight and Accountability Reforms and the Office of General Counsel spearheaded a number of meaningful ethical and conflicts of interest-driven reforms designed to hold State Bar’s decision-makers to higher ethical standards. These include comprehensive updates to the Conflicts of Interest Code for Board of Trustees and the Conflict of Interest Code for designated employees and members of State Bar committees and subentities. Further reforms include pursuing legislative amendments to strengthen conflicts-of-interest laws that extend to the State Bar, updating the Board Policy Manual to enhance ethical obligations for Trustees, adopting a process for disqualifying a trustee from voting on matters in which they might have a conflict of interest, and establishing procedures for censure and sanctions.
Transparency and Accountability page details conflict policies and Board 700 forms
The State Bar launched a Transparency and Accountability webpage where the public can view details on the State Bar’s increased conflict of interests reporting and easily access and view the Board of Trustees’ Statements of Economic Interest (Form 700s).
Robust whistleblower program allows State Bar staff to file complaints with the Department of Justice
Under the enhanced State Bar whistleblower and whistleblower retaliation program, complaints alleging misconduct or retaliation by the State Bar, its Board or staff, are directly submitted to the California Department of Justice (DOJ)―without any review by the State Bar or its staff―for review and investigation as the DOJ deems appropriate.
Public Trust Liaison quickly becomes a popular public resource
Officially launched in 2023, the Public Trust Liaison (PTL) provides direct assistance to the public and others experiencing difficulty with the State Bar. The PTL primarily assists members of the public experiencing issues with complaints they filed. The PTL also assists bar exam applicants on admissions and licensing matters. PTL Enrique Zuniga educates the public on avoiding legal fraud and scams through public service announcements and news interviews, particularly with Spanish-language outlets. Throughout 2023, the PTL received 575 requests for assistance, resolving more than 83 percent of them by December 2023.
Two Californians speak about the guidance and help they received from Public Trust Liaison Enrique Zuniga and why they think it is important to have someone at the State Bar providing direct assistance to the public when they run into an issue.
2023 Operational Metrics Report
The State Bar’s operational metrics are designed to evaluate core performance objectives such as operational efficiency, customer responsiveness, and compliance. In 2023, of the 48 metrics with performance goals, 30 metrics, representing 63 percent, successfully met those targets.
