SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS Forum

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LSSS

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SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Fri Dec 08, 2017 3:29 pm

Can everyone post their experiences and timeline of their past or current application?

1. When did you pass the bar exam?
2. When did you submit your application?
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application?
4. When were you assigned an interviewer?
5. Thoughts on the interview?
6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.?
7. Anyone not pass the interview stage?
8. When was the swearing in ceremony?


Thanks

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encore1101

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by encore1101 » Fri Dec 08, 2017 4:31 pm

1. July 2014.
2. Mid-November 2014.
3. No.
4. Late November 2014.
5. Easy. Mostly a chance for the interviewer to tell some war stories.
6. No. Had some minor traffic infractions but nothing serious.
7. I don't know of anybody that's failed.
8. January 2015.

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barrelofmonkeys

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by barrelofmonkeys » Fri Dec 08, 2017 5:27 pm

1. July 2017
2. Mid-November 2017
3. Not yet!
4. Early December 2017.
5. n/a
6. nothing major
7. n/a
8. n/a

LSSS

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:28 pm

barrelofmonkeys wrote:1. July 2017
2. Mid-November 2017
3. Not yet!
4. Early December 2017.
5. n/a
6. nothing major
7. n/a
8. n/a
Thanks for the response. I submitted mine Mid-November as well. I am waiting to be assigned to an interviewer. Did you receive an email with the date of the interview? Or did the interviewer directly contact you?

LSSS

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:33 pm

encore1101 wrote:1. July 2014.
2. Mid-November 2014.
3. No.
4. Late November 2014.
5. Easy. Mostly a chance for the interviewer to tell some war stories.
6. No. Had some minor traffic infractions but nothing serious.
7. I don't know of anybody that's failed.
8. January 2015.
Thanks for the helpful information.

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sam91

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by sam91 » Sat Dec 09, 2017 12:18 pm

.

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barrelofmonkeys

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by barrelofmonkeys » Mon Dec 11, 2017 11:49 am

LSSS wrote:
barrelofmonkeys wrote:1. July 2017
2. Mid-November 2017
3. Not yet!
4. Early December 2017.
5. n/a
6. nothing major
7. n/a
8. n/a
Thanks for the response. I submitted mine Mid-November as well. I am waiting to be assigned to an interviewer. Did you receive an email with the date of the interview? Or did the interviewer directly contact you?
Direct contact.

deathsaber99

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by deathsaber99 » Mon Dec 11, 2017 12:39 pm

1. July 2017
2. Second week of November
3. Had to provide passport photo
4. Assigned interviewer third week of November, had interview fourth week of November
5. Work for the government; just asked questions about my work
6. None
7. n/a
8. First week of December

zephyr12

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by zephyr12 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 10:13 am

1. July 2017
2. Early October - I am a UBE transfer so I already had my score from WA.
3. Changed from 3rd Dept to 2nd Dept in late October after moving from NJ->Brooklyn. A few days later (early Nov) I got a call from someone in C&F at 2nd Dept with a long list of shit I needed to fix in my application. Resubmitted 11/20. Got a call on 11/24 that my current employer affidavit was still not up to snuff. Resubmitted that on 11/27.
4. 12/11
5. Scheduled for 12/26
6. Not unless they give me grief for fucking up my admission application twice. I just have one speeding ticket.
7. TBD
8. TBD

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adil91

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by adil91 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:58 am

1. July 2017
2. Early October - I am a UBE transfer so I already had my score from WA.
3. Changed from 3rd Dept to 2nd Dept in late October after moving from NJ->Brooklyn. A few days later (early Nov) I got a call from someone in C&F at 2nd Dept with a long list of shit I needed to fix in my application. Resubmitted 11/20. Got a call on 11/24 that my current employer affidavit was still not up to snuff. Resubmitted that on 11/27.
4. 12/11
5. Scheduled for 12/26
6. Not unless they give me grief for fucking up my admission application twice. I just have one speeding ticket.
7. TBD
8. TBD
What were the mistakes on your initial application if you don't mind me asking?

lakers180

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by lakers180 » Tue Dec 12, 2017 2:05 pm

does anyone know if for employment affidavits will they accept a copy that is emailed and printed out or does it have to be the mailed original?

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barrelofmonkeys

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by barrelofmonkeys » Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:05 pm

lakers180 wrote:does anyone know if for employment affidavits will they accept a copy that is emailed and printed out or does it have to be the mailed original?
don't know whether they *would* accept it, but the instructions do say "please submit an original form affidavit" so i wouldn't try to submit a copy unless there was a very serious obstacle

Banana1

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by Banana1 » Wed Dec 13, 2017 6:42 pm

Hey guys,

How does character and fitness apply to foreign trained lawyers as in how do they investigate across borders?

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LSSS

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Thu Dec 14, 2017 10:47 am

Banana1 wrote:Hey guys,

How does character and fitness apply to foreign trained lawyers as in how do they investigate across borders?
As part of your application, you are required to submit the following:


"(a) A certificate from the authority having final jurisdiction over professional discipline
in the foreign country in which the applicant was admitted to practice, which shall be
signed by a responsible official or one of the members of the executive body of such
authority and shall be attested under the hand and seal, if any, of the clerk of such
authority, and which shall certify:
(1) As to the authority's jurisdiction in such matters:
(2) As to the applicant's admission to practice in such foreign country and the
date thereof and as to his good standing as an attorney or counselor at law or the
equivalent therein, and
(3) As to whether any charge or complaint has ever been filed against the
applicant with such authority, and, if so, the substance of each such charge or
complaint and the disposition thereof.
(b) A letter of recommendation from one of the members of the executive body of such
authority or from one of the judges of the highest law court or court of general original
jurisdiction of such foreign country, certifying to the applicant's professional
qualifications, together with a certificate under the hand and seal, if any, of the clerk of
such authority or of such court, as the case may be, attesting to the office held by the
person signing the letter and the genuineness of his signature.
(c) Affidavits as to the applicant's good moral character and fitness from three
reputable persons residing in this State and not related to the applicant, one of whom
shall be a practicing New York attorney.
(d) Affidavits from two attorneys or counselors at law or the equivalent admitted in
and practicing in such foreign country, stating the nature and extent of their
acquaintance with the applicant and their personal knowledge as to the nature,
character and extent of the applicant's practice, and as to the applicant’ s good
standing, as an attorney or counselor at law or the equivalent in such foreign country,
and the duration and continuity of such practice.
(e) Such additional evidence as the applicant may see fit to submit with respect to his
educational and professional qualifications and his good moral character and fitness.
(f) A duly authenticated English translation of every paper submitted by the applicant
which is not in English.
(g) A duly acknowledged instrument designating the clerk of this court the applicant's
agent for service of process"

I am assuming that the above documents will determine whether they will investigate further or not.

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by zephyr12 » Thu Dec 14, 2017 5:18 pm

adil91 wrote:What were the mistakes on your initial application if you don't mind me asking?
Part of the problem was I initially submitted to 3rd Dept so some stuff that 2nd Dept requires (like having proof of having paid the OCA registration and doing the Orientation to the Profession course) aren't required in the 3rd Dept. Besides that, I forgot to do an employer affidavit from my *current* employer, I had a copied, not original, signature on my pro bono form, forgot to list my current employer under the employment section, and for some reason they made me get my law school to do a new law school certificate.

Then they didn't like the current employer affidavit I sent in because my supervisor wrote that I had been hired as a staff attorney. I was accused of practicing law without a license. I explained to the C&F person that "staff attorney" is the job for which I was hired to do *upon admission* and that for now I am acting as a law clerk. She didn't give a shit about that and made me do a new employer affidavit that said I was hired as a "law graduate" which is less accurate - my org hired me to be a staff attorney upon my admission but whatever.

Whoever was asking about whether you can copy your employer affidavit - don't. Send them the original and have them send the original back to you as much of a pain in the ass as it is. 2nd Department seriously doesn't fucking play with this.

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barrelofmonkeys

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by barrelofmonkeys » Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:35 pm

barrelofmonkeys wrote:1. July 2017
2. Mid-November 2017
3. Not yet!
4. Early December 2017.
5. n/a
6. nothing major
7. n/a
8. n/a
I've been schedule for admission ceremony in early January.

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by musername » Tue Dec 19, 2017 12:51 am

July 2017
Submitted app 11/15
Got a call 11/21 that I'm missing something
Resubmitted 11/28
Got a call with Interview scheduled for 12/21


When do we find out when swearing in is? Both of my calls were to my work phone which was kinda weird. Would have preferred an email.

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barrelofmonkeys

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by barrelofmonkeys » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:40 pm

musername wrote:July 2017
Submitted app 11/15
Got a call 11/21 that I'm missing something
Resubmitted 11/28
Got a call with Interview scheduled for 12/21


When do we find out when swearing in is? Both of my calls were to my work phone which was kinda weird. Would have preferred an email.
I found out via e-mail a few days after my C&F interview, but I think it could depend on how quickly your interviewer returns your application to the committee / how busy they are when they get it. I got the official letter in the mail a few days after the e-mail.

ojala

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by ojala » Sat Dec 23, 2017 12:47 am

Unfortunately did not pass the Dec NYLE, so I will have to retake in March. I have all of my paperwork ready to go though. Do I also need to start all over with all of the affidavits?

LSSS

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Tue Dec 26, 2017 6:39 pm

ojala wrote:Unfortunately did not pass the Dec NYLE, so I will have to retake in March. I have all of my paperwork ready to go though. Do I also need to start all over with all of the affidavits?
Only the moral affidavits. They expire after 60 days.

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by zephyr12 » Thu Dec 28, 2017 5:04 pm

So I had my C&F interview on 12/26 (which was...maybe 3 minutes long?) and just got the email now that my admission ceremony is on 1/31. Was hoping for early January like some but this process really does just take half a freaking year it seems.

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LSSS

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by LSSS » Fri Dec 29, 2017 2:50 pm

1. When did you pass the bar exam? july 2017
2. When did you submit your application? 11/30
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? Yes. I was missing some employment information. Submitted it on 12/1
4. When were you assigned an interviewer? 12/27
5. Thoughts on the interview? 5 minutes long
6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.? I was late on a private student loan payment.
7. Anyone not pass the interview stage? nope
8. When was the swearing in ceremony? 1/31/17

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by nybarcand2017 » Fri Dec 29, 2017 7:39 pm

LSSS wrote:1. When did you pass the bar exam? july 2017
2. When did you submit your application? 11/30
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application? Yes. I was missing some employment information. Submitted it on 12/1
4. When were you assigned an interviewer? 12/27
5. Thoughts on the interview? 5 minutes long
6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.? I was late on a private student loan payment.
7. Anyone not pass the interview stage? nope
8. When was the swearing in ceremony? 1/31/17
Were you missing a law-related employment affidavit or was it something else?

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by musername » Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:58 pm

musername wrote:July 2017
Submitted app 11/15
Got a call 11/21 that I'm missing something
Resubmitted 11/28
Got a call with Interview scheduled for 12/21


When do we find out when swearing in is? Both of my calls were to my work phone which was kinda weird. Would have preferred an email.
I had my CF on 12/21... was like 3 minutes long. Pretty standard application- so didn't think I have anything to worry about. I haven't heard anything from 2nd Dept yet, assumed because it was a holiday week. Should I be worried?

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Re: SECOND DEPARTMENT ADMISSION CHARACTER AND FITNESS

Post by teaearlgreyhot » Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:51 pm

LSSS wrote:Can everyone post their experiences and timeline of their past or current application?

1. When did you pass the bar exam?
2. When did you submit your application?
3. Did you have to amend or supplement your application?
4. When were you assigned an interviewer?
5. Thoughts on the interview?
6. Any concerns on the application? criminal history, mental illness, financial obligations, etc.?
7. Anyone not pass the interview stage?
8. When was the swearing in ceremony?


Thanks
1. July 2017
2. Early December
3. No
4. Got an email about the interview in late December; interview took place today (Jan. 4)
5. Interview went on as scheduled despite inclement weather, though they did call and ask me to come in early because they were closing their office. So, be prepared to attend the interview in any weather conditions!
6. Disclosed an underage drinking ticket I got in high school, wasn't even asked about it.
7. Passed interview.
8. Swearing in will take place Jan. 10

FYI I don't need my tickets for the ceremony- if anyone wants them PM me!

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