Bar Admissions Services

"Attorneys who represent themselves have fools for clients."

This is even more true of applicants for admission to the bar.  If full-fledged lawyers would be foolish to represent themselves, those who aspire to join their ranks should be especially reluctant to do so.

Those who rush through bar applications without consulting an attorney on troublesome character issues have only themselves to blame for a multitude of problems arising thereafter.  You simply cannot charm your way through character interviews or subsequent hearings.

Considering all that you have invested in your career, you owe it to yourself to seek the advice of an attorney with experience in guiding applicants through character and fitness reviews.

 

			Law School Application Assistance A failure to properly answer questions on your law school application may jeopardize your career before it even starts. Rather than waste three years of your life, a few hours of consultation on troublesome character issues can help you make the required disclosures and preserve your credibility with the admissions committee. If you later discover an error or omission in your application, most schools let their students supplement with additional disclosures long after enrollment, but you should consult with experienced counsel when doing so.
			Bar Application Assistance Rushing through the application process will not hasten your admission to the bar.  If you are concerned about certain questions posed, or how best to respond to sensitive issues, you would be smart to consult with an attorney.
			Personal Interview This is a formality for some. But if you have character or fitness issues, don't "wing it" through this interview. Consult with us on a strategy designed to address concerns without hurting your chances of admission.
			Informal Hearings Although the District of Columbia does not conduct personal character interviews as a matter of course, the Committee on Admissions may require a DC Bar applicant to appear for an informal hearing to review the moral character and general fitness of a bar admissions candidate. While "informal," you would be wise to consult with experienced bar admissions counsel before attending.
			Formal Character Committee Hearings If the Committee calls for a formal hearing on your bar application, you would be foolish to attend a hearing by yourself. In Maryland, the District of Columbia or elsewhere, committee members will expect you to take the case seriously enough to engage the services of an attorney with experience in character and fitness reviews. Because a record is made of all evidence presented at this hearing, you will need counsel to call witnesses, present evidence, and meet your burden of proof.
			Hearings Before the Board of Law Examiners Unlike the DC Bar Committee on Admissions, Maryland's Board of Law Examiners has separate character committees in various parts of the state which hold initial evidentiary hearings. After the Character Committee makes its recommendation, the Board may hold a second hearing of its own before making a recommendation to the Supreme Court of Maryland. Like any hearing, an applicant whose character or fitness has been called into question should retain experienced counsel.
			Maryland Supreme Court and DC Court of Appeals Representation In some cases, you may need to take your case to the highest courts in Maryland or in the District of Columbia to secure admission to the bar.  Because these courts have the last word on the issue, you need the services of an attorney with the experience to brief and argue bar admissions cases to support your admission.