LOS ANGELES (AP) — An audit says the State Bar of California inefficiently reorganized its system to discipline lawyers, leading to a bigger backlog of cases and allowing bad lawyers to remain in practice while under investigation.

The report released Thursday by the state auditor says the agency responsible for licensing and disciplining lawyers took longer to resolve complaints and disciplined fewer lawyers.

The report comes five years after the agency said it was reorganizing its discipline system to respond to a previous audit.

The bar's interim director says the agency “strongly disagrees” with some findings but welcomes recommendations for improvement.