The State Bar of California estimates that 10 percent of the approximately 190,000 California active-licensed attorneys have unreported criminal behavior. The bar has recently stepped up its efforts to locate those attorneys and bring proceedings against them, and unlike most discipline proceedings, these cases begin in the State Bar Court’s appellate division — called the review department.

If you are an attorney with a criminal conviction, you’re required to self-report your crime to the bar immediately. The bar recently issued new self-reporting guidelines and warned that the failure to report could itself result in discipline.