CLA was established in 2018, as result of Senate Bill 36.,[1] which separated the voluntary educational, associational and advocacy activities for lawyers in the state of California from the regulation of the legal profession, resulting in the formation of CLA as an independent nonprofit organization.

[3] Dosunmu left CLA to become President and CEO of the National Association of College and University Attorneys in August 2021.

[7] As of 2022, CLA has 18 sections that act as voluntary groups of attorneys and affiliates who share an area of interest.

CLA has three initiatives called Access to Justice; Civics Engagement and Outreach; and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Other advocacy positions have included remote work and court depositions amid the COVD-19 pandemic,[10] racial justice issues after the murder of George Floyd,[11] and the California Consumer Privacy Act.