While the legal definition of character & fitness has not changed, the types of behaviors and past incidents which the SBM investigators focus upon reflects the views of the Standing Committee on Character & Fitness, the Board of Law Examiners and all m of the State members Bar of Michigan both directly and indirectly. Since January Read More
I am passionate about attorney admissions issues and helping law students make the transition from student to practicing lawyer. I hope there is truth in the adage “if you do something long enough you will become an expert.” I still learn more each day from my clients, my colleagues and my students. I have been Read More
CHARACTER AND FITNESS UPDATE 2012 Over the last year, I have observed some trends in the hearings at which I have participated in and from which I have information about the participants. The following is strictly my opinion of the process. MORE PROOFS REQUIRED The panels for Standing Committee hearings are trending toward greater participation Read More
To practice law in Michigan, an applicant must meet the following requirements: 1) graduate from an ABA accredited law school or its equivalent, 2) take and pass the MPRE, 3) take and pass the Michigan Bar Examination and 4) demonstratethe requisite personal character and moral fitness to practice law. That fourth standard is the least Read More
Your application for membership in the State Bar of Michigan is lengthy and requires considerable effort to complete. It could take months to gather all the necessary information before you are done. Consider this: If you have lived anywhere for more than two weeks, you must list it on your application. That includes dorm rooms, the Read More
The simple answer is for the fame and fortune associated with it. But since this area of law offers neither, I have to fall back to my real reason. A good part of my practice focuses on counseling legal professionals in transition. This includes teaching bar examination prep classes, tutoring students, counseling applicants delayed in their application process because of Read More
If you have failed the bar, don’t despair. OK, you can despair a little. But you need to do a couple of things: 1. Order Your Results: No matter how bad you did, get the results and get some feedback. 2. See if You Have Some Other Options: Maybe you can appeal. Maybe you’re held Read More
Sometime between the time you apply for a license to practice law and your swearing-in day, there exists moments of anxiety. It might come in of the form of a letter from the State Bar of Michigan’s Character & Fitness department or your own knowledge that something happened in your recent or distant past for which you know Read More