Can a foreclosure prevent someone from being admitted to the bar association?
July 30, 2010 by gtsay
Filed under Foreclosure Properties
Question by TGK0360: Can a foreclosure prevent someone from being admitted to the bar association?
More specifically, can a foreclosure and/or default on credit cards prevent an applicant from being approved?
Best answer:
Answer by Mike
As long as you did not commit fraud, I doubt it.
I know several Attorneys who have been through foreclosures.
Add your own answer in the comments!
background checks are done in all areas of business these days. consult the bar & inquire.
Yes!
Each state’s bar association has certain character & conduct fitness standards that it requires of attorneys seeking admission to the bar. In my state, there is a separate “Fitness Application” that must be completed (along with a $300 fee) in addition to the regular bar application.
The state’s bar association website will outline the specific “character flaws” that may result in the denial of an application. Most, if not all, of the states list “neglect of financial responsibilities” as one of these barriers. Clearly, a foreclosure is a SERIOUS neglect of one’s financial responsibilities, as is a chronic bad credit history.
Bad credit or a foreclosure do not AUTOMATICALLY result in a bar app being declined, as each case is looked at individually. The bar would take into consideration certain aspects of such financial neglect. For instance, things such as the age you were at the time that your home was foreclosed upon, how long prior to the application did it occur, and if you have since shown signs of “rehabilitation” are all taken into account. If you are just facing a foreclosure now though, realistically, you are looking at a few years of good credit history before your application to the bar would be successful.
So, to answer your question, defaulting on credit cards & loans is considered to be a reflection of a person’s “bad character & conduct” and can absolutely result in a bar application being denied. However, the bar tends to look at the CURRENT character fitness of the individual, so if there are steady signs of financial responsibility over the past few years, then the bar may approve the application.