A Regular Member Certifies:
- They are an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of California;
- At least 51% of their professional time is devoted to representing or advancing the rights of employees and/or union members;
- They do not have more than one (1) case on file in any judicial or administrative forum on behalf of an employer or acting as a workplace investigator on behalf of an employer;
- No more than 25% of their professional time is devoted to civil defense work (non-employment);
- They have not worked for a firm representing employers in the prior six months, and all employer matters they worked on at their former firm must be concluded;
- They are not employed or about to become employed by any law firm that primarily does defense work;
- They do not belong to or receive appointments from any defense panel; and,
- They do not belong to any organization* whose members primarily defend employers against claims of employees.*Organizations such as California Employment Law Council; Association of Southern California Defense Counsel; Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California; California Workers’ Compensation Defense Attorneys’ Association. Bipartisan organizations such as the Labor and Employment Law Section of the California Lawyers Association are not barred from membership.
REGULAR MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
An Associate Member Certifies:
- They are an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of California;
- They have not worked for a firm representing employers in the prior six months; and,
- At least 51% of their professional time is devoted to representing plaintiffs.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
An Associate Plus Member Certifies:
- They are a law school professor or law student/paralegal; OR
- They are an attorney in good standing with the State Bar of California;
- They have not worked for a firm representing employers in the prior six months;
- They represent at least one (1) employee OR one (1) union advocating for an employee in a judicial or administrative forum;
- They do not represent ANY defendant in any judicial or administrative forum, whether in an employment case or a non-employment civil case;
- They are not employed or about to become employed by any law firm that primarily does defense work;
- They do not belong to any panel whose members defend employers against claims of employees.
ASSOCIATE PLUS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Enhanced Membership Levels are available with your Regular, Associate Plus or Associate membership.
For a full comparison of benefits please see the chart below.
Your membership will be used to support CELA's many activities, including the Online List, website, education, amicus and legislative advocacy programs.
Supporting Members ($1000): Supporting Membership includes: discounted registration to the Annual Conference (transferable with certain conditions); and acknowledgment in the Membership Directory and Annual Conference Journal.
Sustaining Members ($2500): Sustaining Membership includes: registration to the Annual Conference (transferable with certain conditions); acknowledgement in the Membership Directory and Annual Conference Journal; and a free full-page ad in the Annual Conference Journal.
Full-time Mediators, Arbitrators, and Vendors are encouraged to join the CELA Marketplace
Marketplace membership is available for any company or person providing goods or services to our lawyer members.
Non-Profit Legal Services and Public Interest Group Membership
CELA Group Membership is open to non-profit legal services or public interest organizations representing at least 51% employees. CELA offers a Group Membership and associated Non-Profit Individual Memberships. The Group Membership includes one Non-Profit Individual Membership for $525 for an attorney employed by the Non-Profit Group Member.** Additional attorneys may join CELA at the special rate for Non-Profit Individual Members (see below), and all attorneys on the organization’s legal staff are eligible to attend CELA conferences and seminars at the legal services/public interest discounted rate.
**If a Non-Profit Group Membership is not financially feasible for the organization, please contact info@cela.org for options.
NON-PROFIT GROUP MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Non-Profit Individual Memberships are available to any organization with a Group Membership at a discounted rate of $100/year to attorneys who meet the requirements of Non-Profit Individual Membership. If a Group Membership expires, all associated Non-Profit Individual memberships end immediately. Individual group members understand that if they subscribe to the listservs they certify to abide by all the listserv protocols.
Non-Profit Individual Members certify that they meet all of the following requirements of membership:
- They are in good standing with the State Bar of California;
- They are employed by an organization that is currently a Non-Profit Group Member of CELA;
- They do not practice law outside of their employment with the Non-Profit Group Member;
- They are not about to become employed by any law firm that primarily does defense work.
NON-PROFIT INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Legal Staff of CELA Regular Member or Group Member (Paralegals, Legal Assistants and Legal Secretaries of CELA Regular Member or Group Member)
Legal Staff member benefits include a subscription to the Legal Staff Listserv, CELA Bulletin, discounted event registration and CELA’s brief bank.
A Legal Staff Member Certifies:
- They are a paralegal, legal assistant or legal secretary employed by a CELA Regular Member or Group Member, no contract paralegals or legal staff;
- Their employer does not have more than one (1) case on file in any judicial or administrative forum on behalf of an employer or acting as a workplace investigator on behalf of an employer;
- They are not employed or about to become employed by any law firm that primarily does defense work.
Emeritus Membership
CELA values its long-standing, active and dedicated members. We encourage retirees to remain members and continue to contribute their knowledge and volunteerism to CELA. Emeritus Membership is available to those who have retired from the practice of law and who plan to maintain an inactive status with the State Bar.
Emeritus Members can participate in CELA to the same extent as Regular Members with the exception that they may not serve on the Executive Board and shall not be entitled to vote on any committee matter. Listserv access is subject to the member executing CELA’s listserv agreement and adhering to listserv protocol. Emeritus Members are entitled to attend CELA conferences and programs at discounted rates.
An Emeritus Member Certifies:
- They have retired from the active practice of law;
- They no longer maintain an active California State Bar or other bar license;
- They are not engaged in legal or quasi-legal employment or activity for compensation;
- They were not under discipline by any state bar at the time active status ended;
- They maintained and satisfied the criteria for CELA Regular Membership continuously for a minimum of 10 years prior to retirement;
- They are not members or participants in, or otherwise affiliated with, any defense-related organization; and,
- They will notify CELA within 14 days of any change in eligibility.
EMERITUS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Effective December 1, 2024: CELA is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) organization. Membership dues are not deductible as a charitable contribution for income tax purposes. However, a portion may be tax deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses. CELA estimates that 30% of your total CELA dues is allocated to CELA lobbying activities and therefore is not deductible. Please consult your tax advisor.