Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Northern Mariana Islands
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virgin Islands
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
When the Character & Fitness Committee says NO!
I have experienced learning from the Character & Fitness committee that I will not be allowed to sit for the Bar Exam. Not because I had any criminal history or did anything morally repulsive but because I had financial issues related to a divorce and a period of unemployment. I appealed the recommendation to the State Supreme Court and the recommendation was upheld. The Order I received from the State Supreme Court was short and to the point, I was denied the opportunity to sit for the Bar Exam. Unlike someone with a drug or alcohol problem who could go through rehab or a disbarred attorney who could petition to be readmitted at some point in the future, my Order offered no hope of ever being allowed to sit for the exam in my State.
My personal circumstances are a bit more challenging because I am older than the typical law school graduate. I know that many recent graduates will experience divorce, maybe bankruptcy and other similar financial hardships, but because they will earn a license before life happens, they will be practicing attorneys with the same set of financial experiences I have now.
So knowing what I know now, I wonder if I would have attended law school and incurred the student loan debt I have now. The answer is NO! If only I could have had a Character & Fitness committee look at my divorce and bankruptcy before I started law school, I would have known not to get further in debt only to be told I can't get licensed as an attorney. Others may have continued but at least their decision would have been made knowing the risk that they may not be allowed to sit for the Bar Exam before they fully committed to law school.
Now, if I want to practice law, I have to shop around for a jurisdiction that may view my circumstances differently and allow me to obtain a license assuming I pass their Bar Exam. My family is supportive but it would not be fair to ask them to leave friends and surroundings just because I want to pursue my dream. I still have the desire to obtain a license to practice law and I know I would provide a good service to my community but I am not going to move my family.
What did I learn and what can I share with others who may be ordered to a Character and Fitness hearing? Retain council to assist you in the hearing if you can. I could not afford council so I represented myself and after it was all over, I knew there was information I should have submitted in evidence that I omitted because I was too emotionally involved in the process. Be completely candid about any and all issues under investigation. It is far better for you to disclose information than for the committee's investigators to learn of something before you have a chance to inform the committee. If your jurisdiction allows for you to submit to Character & Fitness before you commit to the Bar Exam, take advantage of the opportunity and do so. California is one jurisdiction that separates the Character & Fitness application from the Bar Exam application. Finally, be prepared for the possibility that you may not be allowed to sit for the exam or be admitted to practice even if you pass the exam. Have a contingency plan. For me, I returned to the profession I had before I went to law school. If you don't have something to fall back on, then begin thinking about your next career move if you are not allowed to obtain your license to practice law.
Good luck to all of you who have not yet gone through the Character & Fitness process!
My personal circumstances are a bit more challenging because I am older than the typical law school graduate. I know that many recent graduates will experience divorce, maybe bankruptcy and other similar financial hardships, but because they will earn a license before life happens, they will be practicing attorneys with the same set of financial experiences I have now.
So knowing what I know now, I wonder if I would have attended law school and incurred the student loan debt I have now. The answer is NO! If only I could have had a Character & Fitness committee look at my divorce and bankruptcy before I started law school, I would have known not to get further in debt only to be told I can't get licensed as an attorney. Others may have continued but at least their decision would have been made knowing the risk that they may not be allowed to sit for the Bar Exam before they fully committed to law school.
Now, if I want to practice law, I have to shop around for a jurisdiction that may view my circumstances differently and allow me to obtain a license assuming I pass their Bar Exam. My family is supportive but it would not be fair to ask them to leave friends and surroundings just because I want to pursue my dream. I still have the desire to obtain a license to practice law and I know I would provide a good service to my community but I am not going to move my family.
What did I learn and what can I share with others who may be ordered to a Character and Fitness hearing? Retain council to assist you in the hearing if you can. I could not afford council so I represented myself and after it was all over, I knew there was information I should have submitted in evidence that I omitted because I was too emotionally involved in the process. Be completely candid about any and all issues under investigation. It is far better for you to disclose information than for the committee's investigators to learn of something before you have a chance to inform the committee. If your jurisdiction allows for you to submit to Character & Fitness before you commit to the Bar Exam, take advantage of the opportunity and do so. California is one jurisdiction that separates the Character & Fitness application from the Bar Exam application. Finally, be prepared for the possibility that you may not be allowed to sit for the exam or be admitted to practice even if you pass the exam. Have a contingency plan. For me, I returned to the profession I had before I went to law school. If you don't have something to fall back on, then begin thinking about your next career move if you are not allowed to obtain your license to practice law.
Good luck to all of you who have not yet gone through the Character & Fitness process!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
What Not to Write
There is more than version of this book written for different jurisdictions. For more information visit Law Tutors.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
How to Start Preparing Early for the Bar Exam
Tomorrow night, Thursday, August 19, is Free Teleseminar on
"How to Start Preparing for the Bar Exam Early."
You can sign up at http://www.barwrite.com/081910-teleseminar.html
" If you are working full-time or already studying full-time, or
if you have commitments in-between, you will benefit. I will be
discussing strategies for using the months before the bar exam
to raise your scores. The teleseminar meets for one hour on
Thursday, August 19, at 7pm EDT. You will receive call-in information
by email after you register. Have your questions ready!
Wishing you the greatest success on the bar exam, MCG
Mary Campbell Gallagher, J.D., Ph.D., President
BarWrite® and BarWrite Press
P.O. Box 1308 Gracie Station
New York, NY 10028-0010
(212) 327-2817
"How to Start Preparing for the Bar Exam Early."
You can sign up at http://www.barwrite.com/081910-teleseminar.html
" If you are working full-time or already studying full-time, or
if you have commitments in-between, you will benefit. I will be
discussing strategies for using the months before the bar exam
to raise your scores. The teleseminar meets for one hour on
Thursday, August 19, at 7pm EDT. You will receive call-in information
by email after you register. Have your questions ready!
Wishing you the greatest success on the bar exam, MCG
Mary Campbell Gallagher, J.D., Ph.D., President
BarWrite® and BarWrite Press
P.O. Box 1308 Gracie Station
New York, NY 10028-0010
(212) 327-2817
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
MPRE
Many jurisdictions require Bar Exam candidates to complete the MPRE. The next exam is scheduled for November 6, 2010 You can learn more about the exam including future schedules by visiting the National Conference for Bar Examiners web site (see link above). Some commercial study guides for the MPRE are:
MPRE Secrets Study Guide: MPRE Test Review for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination
Kaplan PMBR: Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)
Supreme Bar Review MPRE Review, Revised Edition (Book & DVD)
Strategies & Tactics for the MPRE (Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam)
Professional Responsibility Examples & Explanations, 2e
Professional Responsibility/ MPRE: 2-part Set (Law in a Flash)
I will publish additional information about the MPRE as the test date gets closer. Check with your State's Bar web site for MPRE requirements and passing score.
Study Aids - Flashcards
Kaplan PMBR: MBE Flash Review
Survival Series by Jeff Adachi
Ideally if you are fortunate to have the time, you should prepare your own flash cards in preparation for the Bar Exam. But for those of us who work full time, have families and other time managment issues, commercially prepared flash cards are essential. So as I learn of sources of commercial study aids, I will publish the information for the benefit of the readers who may be planning to study for the Bar Exam.
Survival Series by Jeff Adachi
Ideally if you are fortunate to have the time, you should prepare your own flash cards in preparation for the Bar Exam. But for those of us who work full time, have families and other time managment issues, commercially prepared flash cards are essential. So as I learn of sources of commercial study aids, I will publish the information for the benefit of the readers who may be planning to study for the Bar Exam.
How to Successfully Study for the Bar Exam
Several years ago, a Chase College of Law professor published information on the web written by a student who was attending law school at night and working during the day. She successfully passed the Ohio Bar Exam. The professor also provided several useful links. I have seen many web sites describing how to prepare for the bar exam but this particular site contains so much useful information I wanted to share it with anyone who may stumble across this Blog searching for pearls of wisdom on how to successfully study for the Bar Exam.
Feel free to comment on other sources of information you may have discovered and believe to be genuinely beneficial to the bar exam candidate.
The URL I referenced above is: http://academic.udayton.edu/legaled/barpass/general/others01.htm
Feel free to comment on other sources of information you may have discovered and believe to be genuinely beneficial to the bar exam candidate.
The URL I referenced above is: http://academic.udayton.edu/legaled/barpass/general/others01.htm
Monday, August 16, 2010
Character and Fitness Hearings
It is amazing to me to learn that one obstacle I must overcome to even attempt to pass my State's bar exam is the Character & Fitness committee. I have no criminal history of any type. But I have lived life, experienced more than one divorce, been through bankruptcy and experienced owing back taxes. Loss of employment in the past resulted my owing past due child support. So now that I am employed and current with all agreed upon payment plans, the Character & Fitness committee has determined that I do not have the character to qualify to sit for their exam. I have appealed their decision to the State Supreme Court and await their decision. If I had known that my age and life experiences would create this obstacle, I am not so sure I would have attempted law school at an age beyond 40.
The student loans I accumulated to attend law school must still be paid. I do have a Juris Doctorate degree but my current employment is due to the degrees I earned before earning my Juris Doctorate degree. I earn substantially more money per year than many Associate Attorneys and I work far fewer hours per week than most Associate Attorneys. So I wonder what happens now if the State Supreme Court agrees with the State Bar Character & Fitness committee's recommendation and tells me I cannot sit for their exam? Do I give up? Do I seek another more understanding jurisdiction and apply to take their exam? I don't know yet but I have learned that law school is the easy part of the path to become a licensed Attorney.
My experience has taught me that there are many good people who should be practicing law and they are not and there are many who are practicing law who should not be practicing law. In my opinion there is a significant flaw in the right of passage. It would be nice to witness the archaic methodologies of the past replaced with a more reasonable and modern approach such as a National Bar Exam but then what would all the State Bar offices have to do?
The student loans I accumulated to attend law school must still be paid. I do have a Juris Doctorate degree but my current employment is due to the degrees I earned before earning my Juris Doctorate degree. I earn substantially more money per year than many Associate Attorneys and I work far fewer hours per week than most Associate Attorneys. So I wonder what happens now if the State Supreme Court agrees with the State Bar Character & Fitness committee's recommendation and tells me I cannot sit for their exam? Do I give up? Do I seek another more understanding jurisdiction and apply to take their exam? I don't know yet but I have learned that law school is the easy part of the path to become a licensed Attorney.
My experience has taught me that there are many good people who should be practicing law and they are not and there are many who are practicing law who should not be practicing law. In my opinion there is a significant flaw in the right of passage. It would be nice to witness the archaic methodologies of the past replaced with a more reasonable and modern approach such as a National Bar Exam but then what would all the State Bar offices have to do?
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