Q. As a freshman, my college placed me on probation for smoking marijuana in my dorm and, after a second offense, suspended me for the fall semester of my sophomore year. I then buckled down, graduated with honors and excelled in law school. Am I fit to admit?
A. If applicants for admission to the bar had to prove a pristine history, we would suffer from a shortage of lawyers.
The test for bar admission is whether, at present, you possess the requisite moral character and fitness for the practice of law. If we admit you to the bar, will we place your future clients at risk?
For this reason, youthful indiscretions are easily forgiven so long as there is no indication that your old practices persist. Entering your junior year, your character flaws and lack of maturity were evident and your character would not likely have been deemed fit for bar admission.
But, since then, your clean record, combined with stellar academic achievement, show that you have grown beyond these indiscretions to merit admission to the bar. Just be certain to act accordingly in the future so that no one may question your moral character thereafter.
A former law professor who has lectured to thousands of bar candidates nationwide, Irwin Kramer has devoted a large part of his career to building the careers of law students, bar applicants and young lawyers. Taking a personal interest in the success of his clients, Irwin regularly assists applicants in responding to challenging items on character questionnaires, crafting key disclosures to avoid future problems, and advocating for their admission before character committees throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia. Full Profile