California MCLE — Legal Ethics

Earn your 4 ethics hours on demand.

TalksOnLaw is an approved California MCLE provider (#17280). Watch on any device, earn certified credit, retain certificates for self-reporting.

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California Legal Ethics Courses

19 courses approved for CA Legal Ethics credit

64 minCA 1 hr

Coverage

What counts as California Legal Ethics CLE

The State Bar of California accepts ethics coursework across these areas toward the 4-hour Legal Ethics requirement.

California Rules of Professional Conduct

Compliance with California's adopted Rules — competence, communication, candor toward tribunals, and the broader fiduciary obligations that govern California practice.

Conflicts of Interest

Identifying when representation could be compromised by competing duties to current clients, former clients, the lawyer's personal interests, or third parties.

Confidentiality & Privilege

The duty to preserve client confidences, the contours of attorney-client privilege under California law, and the narrow exceptions that permit or compel disclosure.

Fiduciary Duties to Clients

Loyalty, candor, diligence, and competent representation — the core fiduciary obligations that distinguish the attorney-client relationship from arm's-length contracting.

Fee Arrangements & Trust Accounting

Reasonable fees, written-fee-agreement rules under Bus. & Prof. Code § 6147–6148, IOLTA mechanics, and the recordkeeping that produces the bulk of CA discipline cases.

Attorney Communication & Candor

The Rule 1.4 duty to keep clients reasonably informed, candor toward tribunals under Rule 3.3, and the practical lines around dual representation and fee disputes.

Compliance

How the California requirement works

Active California attorneys must complete 25 hours of accredited MCLE every 3-year compliance period, including 4 hours of Legal Ethics, 2 hours Elimination of Bias, 2 hours Competence Issues, 1 hour Technology, and 1 hour Civility.

Participatory credit: at least 12.5 of the 25 hours must be participatory. TalksOnLaw courses are approved for participatory credit, so your 4 Legal Ethics hours, and the rest of your 25, can all be completed with TalksOnLaw.

California is a self-reporting state. TalksOnLaw is an approved California MCLE provider (#17280); every Legal Ethics course on this page is pre-approved. Retain your certificates in case of audit.

Common questions

California Legal Ethics — Q&A

How many ethics hours does California require?

California requires 4 hours of Legal Ethics CLE per 3-year compliance period — part of the 25-hour MCLE total. This is one of five mandatory subject categories alongside Elimination of Bias (2 hrs), Competence Issues (2 hrs), Technology (1 hr), and Civility (1 hr).

Are TalksOnLaw ethics courses approved in California?

Yes. TalksOnLaw is an approved California MCLE provider (#17280). Every Legal Ethics course on this page is pre-approved to count toward your California requirements; certificates download instantly with the provider details for your records.

Can I earn all 4 ethics hours online?

Yes. California requires at least 12.5 of your 25 hours to be participatory, and TalksOnLaw courses are approved for participatory California MCLE credit, so every hour counts toward your participatory requirement.

Does California auto-report my hours, or do I self-report?

You report compliance yourself at the end of your compliance period. Keep your TalksOnLaw certificates for at least one year after you report, in case the State Bar audits you.

Finish your California ethics requirement today.

Pre-approved courses from California MCLE Provider #17280. Instant certificates. On demand.

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TalksOnLaw is an approved California MCLE provider (Provider #17280).