State Bar 2009 fees due Feb. 2

The State Bar's annual fee statement was mailed Dec. 1 to all active attorneys and all inactive lawyers under the age of 70. Dues must be paid by Feb. 2.

The 2009 bar dues for active attorneys is $410 and for inactive lawyers, the dues are $125.

Payment can be completed online for no additional fee. Full details are on the statement.

Compliance for MCLE (Minimum Continuing Legal Education) for lawyers in Group 2 — last names H through M — also is due on Feb. 2. (See full details on p. 10.)

Fees for inactive attorneys age 70 and over are waived under Board of Governors policy. As in past years, attorneys are encouraged to donate to the California Bar Foundation, the Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations and the California Supreme Court Historical Society.

Members also may donate to the Justice Gap Fund, which helps underwrite eligible legal aid programs in California. Donations to the fund last year, the first year of operation, totaled $1 million.

Lawyers who earn less than $40,000 from all sources of income may qualify for a 25 percent waiver.

If fees are not paid online or postmarked by Feb. 2, a late penalty will be assessed — $100 for active lawyers and $30 for inactive members.

Failure to pay dues can lead to administrative suspension.