NY Bar Admission app, "Good Moral Character" affidavids Forum

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lessave13

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NY Bar Admission app, "Good Moral Character" affidavids

Post by lessave13 » Tue May 05, 2015 11:04 am

I created an account just to write this:

The New York Bar Admission application does NOT say that law school classmates cannot write an affidavit of good moral character. It says that "other applicants" can't write the affidavit, but says nothing about law school classmates. I had a very good friend from law school, barred in another state, write the affidavit for me. NY Bar Admissions wrote to me saying I need another affidavit not written by a law school classmate.

I called to make sure -- because it says nothing about this in any of the instructions (I read VERY thoroughly!) and the person on the phone said that "no law school classmates," regardless of when they graduated and where they are barred, can write the affidavit of good moral character. The NY admissions office gets a ton of these all the time, apparently. I wonder why!

This is very important to keep in mind for anyone applying to the NY bar, because NONE of the instructions say this. After I'm barred in NY, I'll write a letter to the admissions office saying that this very important piece of information needs to be in the instructions. So, remember this if you plan to apply for the New York bar. This means that no relatives, no one related by employment, no one from law school (faculty, staff, classmates) can write the affidavit, and it must be someone who knows you well for over 2 years.

imalreadyamember?

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Re: NY Bar Admission app, "Good Moral Character" affidavids

Post by imalreadyamember? » Tue Aug 04, 2015 1:48 pm

Old thread, but searching about this so thought I'd reply for people who see it.

My fiancée and a few friends were admitted this year (took July last year) and submitted affidavits from classmates of ours who were barred in other states. In fact, she used two classmates as her two affidavits.

Are you sure this isn't a Department-specific policy? Hers was 2nd Department. Also, no faculty seems really strange; if my former dean wrote me an affidavit, they'd turn their nose up at it?

The logic makes no sense here. Sure, a law school faculty member would be biased because they want you to be admitted; a classmate would be biased because they are probably your friend. But isn't that true for anybody you would get an affidavit from? If I've known a lawyer for 2 years, who isn't a relative, who isn't affiliated with my law school (not sure I do know any of those), they're probably going to be biased in my favor.

They should make you get affidavits from two enemies if they want to really make sure your source isn't biased in your favor.

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