CA AB2684

Expands court interpreter fee recovery for prevailing parties in civil actions to include cases where an indigent person is represented by a pro bono attorney, in addition to existing coverage for legal services projects.

Allows law firms with state contracts exceeding $50,000 to fulfill pro bono service requirements through either direct provision of minimum billable hours or equivalent financial contributions to qualified legal services projects and support centers.

Establishes factors to evaluate whether firms made a "good faith effort" to provide pro bono services, including actual hours provided, efforts to obtain pro bono work, firm history, case complexity, and extenuating circumstances.

Requires state departments awarding legal services contracts exceeding $50,000 to consider a firm's pro bono track record from the prior 12 months and preferentially award contracts to firms meeting minimum pro bono hour requirements.