How long to swear in for work purposes? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am asking this question anonymously because I don’t want to potentially out someone for this.

I’ve noticed that a classmate/colleague of mine that graduated with me in 2016 is still not admitted to practice anywhere, but has been working at our V100 for the past 2.5 years. As a colleague, this is somewhat concerning.

Is it normal for firms to allow associates to practice this long without being admitted? I know the NY bar takes a while to admit people, but is 2.5+ years really acceptable?

[Anonymous User]

2.5 seems very long. I graduated in 2018 and I have been working at a V100 since September in NYC and have not yet submitted my application even though I passed the July bar. I still have 10 hours of the 50 hour pro bono requirement....I haven’t heard anything from my firm about taking this long though

[hatelawandgoinghome]

Not sure why you care.

[QContinuum]

I’ve noticed that a classmate/colleague of mine that graduated with me in 2016 is still not admitted to practice anywhere, but has been working at our V100 for the past 2.5 years.

How did you "notice" that your colleague isn't admitted to practice anywhere? If you're relying on their firm profile page, keep in mind that many attorneys do not regularly (or ever) update their firm profile. It is entirely possible that s/he was admitted long ago but simply never got around to pushing marketing/IT/HR to update their profile.

The last time I tried updating my profile, it took emails to three different people, multiple rounds of corrections, and a several-week wait before it was updated accurately (bar a single typo which I didn't care to chase after). Bureaucracy can be hellish.

[Anonymous User]

I’ve noticed that a classmate/colleague of mine that graduated with me in 2016 is still not admitted to practice anywhere, but has been working at our V100 for the past 2.5 years.

How did you "notice" that your colleague isn't admitted to practice anywhere? If you're relying on their firm profile page, keep in mind that many attorneys do not regularly (or ever) update their firm profile. It is entirely possible that s/he was admitted long ago but simply never got around to pushing marketing/IT/HR to update their profile.

The last time I tried updating my profile, it took emails to three different people, multiple rounds of corrections, and a several-week wait before it was updated accurately (bar a single typo which I didn't care to chase after). Bureaucracy can be hellish.

OP here. Someone outside of the firm asked me about it (“why does your firm’s site say so and so is not barred”) and being the nosy attorney I am, I searched for my colleague in the two states he or she would be barred.

And to the previous poster, I care because it seems weird/off that someone can work as an “attorney” without being barred for that long. Obviously it’s technically none of my business, but that’s why I asked it on here instead of pointing it out to folks at work.

[Anonymous User]

Website bio is meaningless. If you’re sincerely concerned, send your classmate an email instead of anonymously posting on TLS. Your classmate’s law firm and the state ethics committee will handle any potential misconduct.

My best friend in law school and his gf both passed the CA bar. His gf posted a status about passing; my best friend did not. Due to my friend being private, random classmates of ours would ask me if my friend failed the CA bar because they didn’t see his 1) website bio or 2) a social media post posting. Assumptions and gossip suck.

I’ve noticed that a classmate/colleague of mine that graduated with me in 2016 is still not admitted to practice anywhere, but has been working at our V100 for the past 2.5 years.

How did you "notice" that your colleague isn't admitted to practice anywhere? If you're relying on their firm profile page, keep in mind that many attorneys do not regularly (or ever) update their firm profile. It is entirely possible that s/he was admitted long ago but simply never got around to pushing marketing/IT/HR to update their profile.

The last time I tried updating my profile, it took emails to three different people, multiple rounds of corrections, and a several-week wait before it was updated accurately (bar a single typo which I didn't care to chase after). Bureaucracy can be hellish.

OP here. Someone outside of the firm asked me about it (“why does your firm’s site say so and so is not barred”) and being the nosy attorney I am, I searched for my colleague in the two states he or she would be barred.

And to the previous poster, I care because it seems weird/off that someone can work as an “attorney” without being barred for that long. Obviously it’s technically none of my business, but that’s why I asked it on here instead of pointing it out to folks at work.

[nixy]

Website bio is different from state bar association websites, though, which the OP said they checked (assuming the person in question didn’t take the bar is some other random location, of course).

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

I saw the colleague/classmate while getting in this morning and made some small talk and found a way to bring up swearing in. I kind of felt bad after because they failed the first time and didn’t take the NYLE until after passing, so they are just waiting to get sworn in now (apparently there is a backlog of 6+ months or something).

[TheatreofDreams]

Appreciate the OP following up/updating, but in general it's probably best not to ask/inquire on these topics. Just leave it, i'm sure there is a good reason.

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

Imagine spending time on an inquiry into one of your colleagues having nothing to do with you that the firm is clearly fine with, and asking a question guaranteed to embarrass them because you’re the self-appointed investigator of what “seems weird” in your firm.