Bar Admission Information
All students who intend to apply for admission to a state bar should consult with the specific state bar for requirements. Many states require both registration as a law student and a bar exam application. Also, fees for students who are late in registering are often substantially higher. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiner's website at http://www.ncbex.org. For students who intend to seek bar admission in Mississippi, the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions website is https://courts.ms.gov/bar/baradmissions/baradmissions.php.
Students who plan to take the Mississippi Bar Examination in February of the semester in which they anticipate graduating should consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs regarding completing course work by the deadline required by the Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions prior to registration for the final semester in order to determine what courses will qualify for certification to the Board of Bar Admissions. Failure to do so may result in denial of certification of completion of course work to the Board of Bar Admissions. Examination courses are not eligible for certification of completion by the deadline set by the Board of Bar Admissions.
While MC Law provides information about bar examinations and bar admissions requirements to our students, nevertheless, students have the primary responsibility to acquaint themselves with the requirements of any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission to practice law.
The goal of most law students is to be admitted to practice law and obtain a law license in one or more states after graduation. It is important to consider the issue of bar admission even before one applies for admission to law school. The requirements of each state differ. There may be matters in the background of a law school applicant that make it difficult or even impossible to be admitted to practice in a particular state. It is imperative that law school applicants review the admission requirements of a state in which they are interested in being admitted to ensure that they are capable of being admitted and to understand the process and procedure by which to apply for admission.
The American Bar Association Standard in this area focuses on character and fitness and is stated in this fashion:
Standard 504. Character and Fitness
Standard 504 of the ABA requires that law schools advise each applicant as follows: In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Notification
This notification is available to all applicants by a posting on the MC Law application for admission.
Timing
MC Law encourages every applicant, prior to matriculation, to determine the fitness requirements in the jurisdiction(s) in which the applicant intends to practice.
Nature and Content of the Notice
The notice by its nature must give applicants a clear understanding that character and fitness reporting requires truthful, accurate, and complete disclosure of all requested information related to past conduct that may be relevant to one’s fitness to practice law. It should be noted, however, that while bar admission boards require a complete disclosure of requested information, in many instances relevant conduct, particularly if isolated and/or not recent, has not resulted in denial or delay of admission to the bar in a particular jurisdiction of interest. A failure to truthfully, accurately and completely respond to a character and fitness inquiry, however, is commonly deemed a character and fitness violation in and of itself, and may be more detrimental to bar admission prospects than the undisclosed or incorrectly disclosed underlying conduct. As the National Conference of Bar Examiners has cautioned:
Application forms can be lengthy. Be sure to allow sufficient time well in advance of filing deadlines to complete the application and gather accompanying materials. The application must be filled out completely, as failure to provide information may delay the process and require more time and effort at an inopportune time. Answer all questions honestly, as failure to do so may result in sanctions. Failure to disclose information often yields a more serious outcome than the matter itself would have produced had it been revealed by the applicant.
National Conference of Bar Examiners, website, as of November 4, 2019, Character and Fitness Investigations page. See http://www.ncbex.org/character-and-fitness[TP3] .
The following are categories of information that jurisdictions commonly consider when reviewing a character and fitness application: criminal and litigation histories, educational discipline, substance abuse, debt management, and any acts of fraud, dishonesty or lack of candor. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but does reflect many of the general areas of interest to bar examiners when a law student or graduate submits to a character and fitness review.
Method of Posting
This required notice is posted on the MC Law website and will be communicated with an appropriate webpage link and by communications ordinarily used by the school for important and essential communications to applicants.
Applicants’ Duty to Inquire
It is the applicant’s obligation to determine applicable character and fitness requirements in that jurisdiction or jurisdictions in which they may seek a law license. Notably, every American jurisdiction has specific character and fitness requirements. While some apply across the board, each jurisdiction is somewhat different, and it would be an unreasonable burden for MC Law to research, interpret and then explain the distinctions to applicants. Therefore, while a primary purpose of Standard 504 is to protect the applicant’s interest in bar admission process information, it also serves the important purpose of clarifying that it is the applicant’s responsibility to determine the unique character and fitness requirements of the jurisdictions in which they may seek a law license.
Method of Inquiry
Every American jurisdiction in which a law student may practice law after graduation from law school requires each applicant for admission to the bar to meet character and fitness requirements as a condition of eligibility for admission. A character and fitness review will require truthful, accurate and complete reporting of all requested information related to past conduct that bar examiners may deem relevant to one’s fitness to practice law, in most jurisdictions including (but not limited to) all criminal arrests, charges, plea agreements, convictions, or instances of being taken into custody, as a juvenile or adult; all traffic violations except minor parking citations; involvement as a party to civil litigation; acts of fraud, dishonesty or lack of candor; educational discipline or misconduct; failure to pay financial obligations; and substance abuse. Many jurisdictions require disclosure of all criminal arrests, charges, plea agreements or convictions, as a juvenile or adult, even where the record has been expunged.
It should be noted, however, that while bar admission boards require a complete disclosure of requested information, in many instances past relevant conduct, particularly if isolated and/or not recent, has not resulted in denial or delay of admission to the bar in a particular jurisdiction of interest. (This is not to suggest or predict how any jurisdiction’s bar admissions board would respond to any applicant’s particular conduct disclosures going forward.)
A failure to truthfully, accurately and completely respond to a character and fitness inquiry, however, is commonly deemed a character and fitness violation in and of itself, and may be more detrimental to bar admission prospects than the undisclosed or incorrectly disclosed underlying conduct.
You are encouraged, as you go through the law school application process and before you enter law school, to determine the character and fitness requirements of the jurisdiction(s) where you intend to practice law. If you are uncertain where you will practice law, you may wish to review the Standard NCBE Character and Fitness Application, titled Sample Application, of the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which is used by a number of jurisdictions’ bar admission authorities.
Addresses for all relevant state bar admission offices are available here.
Bar application forms, such as the Dean's Certificate and Certificate of J.D. Degree, should be directed to:
Ann Regan Barlow
Director of Student Services
arbarlow@mc.edu
Phone (601) 925-7151
Fax (601) 925-7185
