Greetings.
I graduated from an ABA-accredited law school, passed the MPRE and California Bar Exams on my first try, and now I am waiting on my moral character application.
I hired a C&F attorney early on because I had three alcohol related arrests in college and law school. I have two years of sobriety behind me since my last arrest, and have finished many programs of alcohol education, awareness, and I have done substantial community volunteering since my last arrest.
I have been invited to the informal conference.
I am embarrassed about my alcoholic past but I understand that taking ownership of my past is crucial.
Does anybody have any words of wisdom, or what to expect from the informal conference? I graduated from law school in June of 2020, and I would like to start my legal career as a litigator, but obviously I still have this hurdle in front of me. Thank you.
California Moral Character Informal Conference Forum
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Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about bar exam prep. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
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Anonymous User
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Anonymous User
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Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
I've been to an informatl conference. If you hired an attorney to help with the application, pay them to go with you. I went alone. It was an unmitigated disaster. I did not help myself at all by going alone. Probably would have been better off not going at all without a lawyer.
It was an adversarial proceeding. There's nothing informal about it. It's recorded. There were seven people from the State bar and me, alone. They are not trying to clarify anything in your favor. They are looking for a reason to deny you. Period. They are adversaries. If you go alone, be professional, keep your answers as short as possible, be ready for the good-cop-bad-cop routine. Also, be prepared for a curve ball or two. Something you don't anticiapte.
If I had it to do over again and couldn't pay an attorney, I would decline the "invitation."
Please, let us know how it went. Wishing you the very best of luck.
It was an adversarial proceeding. There's nothing informal about it. It's recorded. There were seven people from the State bar and me, alone. They are not trying to clarify anything in your favor. They are looking for a reason to deny you. Period. They are adversaries. If you go alone, be professional, keep your answers as short as possible, be ready for the good-cop-bad-cop routine. Also, be prepared for a curve ball or two. Something you don't anticiapte.
If I had it to do over again and couldn't pay an attorney, I would decline the "invitation."
Please, let us know how it went. Wishing you the very best of luck.
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Anonymous User
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Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
How it went for you? Did they cleared you or denied the application?
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Anonymous User
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Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
Hi, I’m the original poster. I was neither confirmed or denied. I got an abeyance agreement.
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Anonymous User
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Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
I am in the same situation. Can you share your experience and result?
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CalGirl2021
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Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
Please remove if not allowed.
This lawyer does free moral character application conference calls. https://californiacounselorcook.com/
Here's what she talks about:
*Section 6060 of the Cal. Business and Professions Code.
*Applicant’s burden to show they are of good moral character.
*Form 1: Civil Litigation. We will discuss how this could be an issue, reviewing the case of Daniel Delacruz, Sr. and his actions against the State Bar.
*Form 2: Criminal Convictions. We will also discuss Mr. Delacruz's issues here. As well as those of Zachary Coughlin, who on top of other bizarre behavior, uploaded his entire moral character file to a document sharing site, including his records through the appeal, which he lost.
*Addiction/Substance Abuse issues that raise concerns for the Committee.
*Professional Misconduct that could bar admission. We will discuss the unfortunate case of Stephen Glass to understand the issues that the bar looks for. (In re Glass, 2014.)
*Academic Misconduct/Omissions on law school application.
*The Noerr-Pennington Doctrine and how it applies to Applicants to the State Bar.
*The Moral Character Determination process, including the current guidelines used by the Committee.
*The informal conference.
She said it would last about an hour, but the call I was on was almost an hour and a half. No sales pitch or anything.
If you've been system-involved, involved in a lawsuit, have honor code violations, or other issues that you are concerned might delay or bar your admissions, this might be helpful.
This lawyer does free moral character application conference calls. https://californiacounselorcook.com/
Here's what she talks about:
*Section 6060 of the Cal. Business and Professions Code.
*Applicant’s burden to show they are of good moral character.
*Form 1: Civil Litigation. We will discuss how this could be an issue, reviewing the case of Daniel Delacruz, Sr. and his actions against the State Bar.
*Form 2: Criminal Convictions. We will also discuss Mr. Delacruz's issues here. As well as those of Zachary Coughlin, who on top of other bizarre behavior, uploaded his entire moral character file to a document sharing site, including his records through the appeal, which he lost.
*Addiction/Substance Abuse issues that raise concerns for the Committee.
*Professional Misconduct that could bar admission. We will discuss the unfortunate case of Stephen Glass to understand the issues that the bar looks for. (In re Glass, 2014.)
*Academic Misconduct/Omissions on law school application.
*The Noerr-Pennington Doctrine and how it applies to Applicants to the State Bar.
*The Moral Character Determination process, including the current guidelines used by the Committee.
*The informal conference.
She said it would last about an hour, but the call I was on was almost an hour and a half. No sales pitch or anything.
If you've been system-involved, involved in a lawsuit, have honor code violations, or other issues that you are concerned might delay or bar your admissions, this might be helpful.
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butonawednesday
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- Joined: Sun Dec 04, 2022 2:04 pm
Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
The Noerr-Pennington Doctrine and how it applies to Applicants to the State Bar.
I don't see the applicability here
I don't see the applicability here
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Anonymous User
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- Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am
Re: California Moral Character Informal Conference
Hey everyone, I’m the original poster. Despite my 3 alcohol related arrests, my moral character clearance was cleared after my participation in LAP and extensive random alcohol/drug testing. I stayed sober, participated in the program, and I will be an attorney soon. It’s been a long journey. At the end of the day, I’m just grateful. I hope my post gives another person hope. As long as you stay sober, and participate in the program, you will be cleared. It may take a substantially longer time than other applicants, but it will happen. All the best, folks. Peace and love.
