California Supreme Court Approves Rule Amendments for Law Office Study and Certified Law Students Programs

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday approved amendments to rules governing the Law Office Study and Certified Law Students programs, broadening practical training opportunities for students and clarifying how they may participate in these programs to learn about the practice of law.

Under the new amendments, Law Office Study program participants will soon be able to participate in the Certified Law Students program.

The Law Office Study program offers an alternative to traditional law school, allowing aspiring lawyers to take the California bar exam after completing at least four years of supervised legal study in a law office or under the supervision of a California judge.

The Certified Law Students program allows law students to represent clients and appear in court on a limited basis and under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

The court modified the State Bar of California's original proposal by allowing Law Office Study participants studying under a judge to also participate in Certified Law Students program provided that the supervisors in both programs "make good faith efforts to mitigate or prevent any actual or potential conflicts of interest or ethical concerns that might arise from the general applicant's dual role."

"For example, a general applicant who studies in the Law Office Study program under the supervision of a judge should avoid appearing before that same judge when representing a client in the Certified Law Student Program," the court wrote.

The new amendments will take effect on June 1.