Closing a Law Practice
What arrangements have you made to protect the interests of your clients should an emergency arise? Does your staff know what to do? Your family?
The State Bar of California has an Attorney Surrogacy Progam where you can access Guidelines for Closing or Selling a Law Practice, and a Sample Agreement to Close Law Practice in the Future. Make the transition easier and consider these important details now.
Other Helpful Information:
Winding Up a Firm: A Checklist
Winding Up a Sole Practice: A Checklist
Law Office Transition Program:
The staff of the CCCBA receives a number of calls each year from clients who just found out that their attorney is ill or has passed away. They want to know who took over the attorney's practice. What will happen to their case? How do they get their file?
We have been referring clients to the State Bar or the Court. But they usually call back and say that those organizations don't have any information either.
To fill this gap, the CCCBA is starting a pilot program to maintain a record of Contra Costa County law offices in transition.
If you are an attorney who has taken over the practice or cases of a Contra Costa County attorney due to their incapacity or death, please notify Jenny Comages, our Membership Coordinator, by email or call her at (925) 370-2543.
Please provide the following information:
Name of the attorney who is incapacitated or deceased
State Bar #
Office Address
Office Phone Number
Date office was closed
Name of the attorney who is taking over the practice/cases
State Bar #
Office Address
Office Phone Number
Email Address
Additional Information (Such as, you have taken over entire practice; you have taken only certain cases; letters have been or have not been sent to the clients; the files are being held by the court.)
We hope this service will be of benefit to not only the clients but to our attorneys. Thank you for your help.
