Avoid these mistakes that can delay your enrollment

Here are common mistakes to avoid that can delay the processing of your New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form:

1. You take the attorney’s oath before you are eligible.
2. You sign your form before you have completed all changes
3. You submit your form with a name that does not match the name shown on the Notice of Results Letter you received from Admissions.
4. You do not provide an address.
5. You submit your New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form without all the required signatures and dates.

1. You take the attorney's oath before you are eligible.

Your oath will not be effective if you take the attorney’s oath before your certification for admission has been accepted by the Supreme Court of California, and therefore you will not have completed the requirements to practice law in California.

The Office of Admissions will notify you directly when you are permitted to take the attorney’s oath. After being notified by the Office of Admissions, you will receive a separate email directly from DocuSign containing a link to access the necessary New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form. Contact Admissions at 213-765-1500 with any questions.

2. You sign your form before you have completed all changes

Once you have electronically signed your form in DocuSign, please note that you will not be able to retract or undo your signature. It is important to ensure that you have completed all necessary changes before signing your form in DocuSign.

3. You submit your form with a name that does not match the name shown on the Notice of Results Letter you received from Admissions.

Your name as shown on the Notice of Results Letter received from the Office of Admissions has been prepopulated on the New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form. If you wish to be registered under a legal name different from that shown on the Notice of Results Letter, you must submit a Name Change Form. See the Complete the Attorney Registration Information section for more details.

4. You do not provide an address or your address is incomplete.

You are required to provide an office address and telephone, or if none, other address or telephone for State Bar purposes.

If you do not provide an address and telephone, the New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form will be returned to you for completion, delaying your enrollment. See the Complete the Attorney Registration Information section for more details.

5. You submit your New Licensee Registration and Attorney Oath form without all the required signatures and dates.

After taking your oath:

• You must sign and date the Attorney Oath section of the form as of the date the oath was administered.
• You must make sure that the administering officer also signs, seals, and dates the Attorney Oath section of the form. If a notary administers your oath, they are required to provide their seal and make sure the seal appears on the card, not on an attachment. If another authorized official administers your oath and the administering officer does not have a seal, the name and title should be printed clearly under the signature so that this may be verified.
• You must make sure the administering officer confirms the exact date the oath was administered. This will be your official date of admittance.

Your form is only valid with your signature and the signature of the officer. If the form is not signed, sealed/labeled, and dated properly, it will be returned to you for completion, delaying your enrollment. See the Take the attorney's oath and execute required signatures section for more details.