In response to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, in July 2020, the California Supreme Court directed the State Bar "to implement, as soon as possible, a temporary supervised provisional licensure program—a limited license to practice specified areas of law under the supervision of a licensed attorney." The State Bar convened the Provisional Licensure Working Group, led by Trustee Hailyn Chen, which crafted the draft rule and amendment. Both were circulated for public comment and approved by the Board of Trustees before being submitted to the California Supreme Court for final approval.

Program for 2020 graduates
On October 22, 2020, the California Supreme Court issued an administrative order approving New Rule 9.49, which implemented a Provisional Licensure Program for 2020 law school graduates. The program launched November 17, 2020. Applications for this portion of the Provisional Licensure Program are available in the Applicant Portal.

The original program allows eligible 2020 law school graduates to practice law as provisionally licensed lawyers under the supervision of fully licensed lawyers who meet the requirements of the rule and who agree to assume professional responsibility over the work of the provisionally licensed lawyers. The program will terminate June 1, 2022, unless extended by the Court.

Expanded program
On January 28, 2021, the California Supreme Court issued an administrative order approving Rule 9.49.1, expanding the Provisional Licensure Program. The amended rule includes individuals who scored 1390 or higher on any California Bar Exam administered between July 2015 and February 2020, as determined by the first read score or final score, regardless of year of law school graduation or year satisfying the educational requirements to sit for the bar exam.

Those eligible for the expanded program will not need to retake a bar exam if they complete 300 hours of supervised legal practice in the Provisional Licensure Program and fulfill all other requirements of the amended rule. Applications for the expanded program were made available in the Applicant Portal on February 24, 2021, and must be submitted no later than May 31, 2021. The program will terminate June 1, 2022, unless extended by the Court.

What a provisionally licensed lawyer can do
Provisionally licensed lawyers are allowed to engage in all of the same activities that a fully licensed lawyer is permitted to engage in, under their supervising lawyer's supervision and subject to certain restrictions. Both the provisionally licensed lawyer and their supervising lawyer are expected to abide by all applicable State Bar rules and guidelines and are bound by the disciplinary authority of the California Supreme Court and the State Bar.