California Bar Moral Character Application Forum

[rcharter1978]

Congratulations!
I am sure InterAlia will soon offer the same

Thanks!

Hah. Based on his self-styled expert prognostications, I should have been prepping myself for my inevitable interview with the C&F committee (on such a trivial matter as the analyst needing clarification on a minor traffic citation).

Congratulations.

You did a great job and got great results. Not gonna lie though, were it me or anyone I cared about I would have suggested seeking legal advice.

However, it's all water under the bridge and now you can get sworn in!

[jman77]

Congratulations!
I am sure InterAlia will soon offer the same

Thanks!

Hah. Based on his self-styled expert prognostications, I should have been prepping myself for my inevitable interview with the C&F committee (on such a trivial matter as the analyst needing clarification on a minor traffic citation).

Congratulations.

You did a great job and got great results. Not gonna lie though, were it me or anyone I cared about I would have suggested seeking legal advice.

However, it's all water under the bridge and now you can get sworn in!

Thanks. To be frank, though, at no point in the process did anything rise to anywhere near a level where I needed legal advice. I appreciate that only I actually had complete information as to what the analyst's inquiries were and my communications with him so for someone on the outside looking in, it was easy to end up speculating and concluding that things were more serious than they actually were.

I really just came here because the follow-up inquiry from my analyst came when I was abroad and did not have access to my application. All I needed was to know what the pertinent question in the application was so that I could refresh my memory as to why I didn't disclose the citation. I wasn't seeking for advice on how to respond to the analyst's question. I knew, as I reiterated over and over again here, that it was never an issue and it was not something that was required to be disclosed based on the underlying question. If I had access to the application, I would simply had looked at the question and submitted my response to the analyst. Then I would have spared myself and others here from all the useless back and forth when all I needed was a simple answer to my simple request.

But as you said, it's all water under the bridge now.

[ReasonablePersonSSC]

I am looking at options for the swearing in ceremony. Did most get sworn in by a judge, individually or in a group? Did you host a reception after for friends and family?

[jman77]

I am looking at options for the swearing in ceremony. Did most get sworn in by a judge, individually or in a group? Did you host a reception after for friends and family?

I just did mine in front of a notary here in the office and mailed the registration card back. I've already done the ceremony in NY years ago, so this wasn't as big of a deal for me. Just wanted to get done with the process.

[phasematch]

The info jc9812 provided was so helpful to me, I will also share my info below (I was surprised by the unexpected investigator email...)

Submitted: 2/20/19
notice of application complete: 5/29/19
"Notice: introduction to investigator" email: 8/1/19
Positive determination: 8/9/19

gonna post my stats since i found others' helpful

Submitted early January 19
notice of application complete: 2/20/19
"Notice: introduction to investigator" email: 7/12/19
Positive determination: 7/17/19

[Necho2]

Any connection between taking the July Bar and getting Moral Character approval shortly afterwards? Got it yesterday, curious whether it got fast-tracked once I took the bar, or just a fluke that I had zero movement and then approval shortly afterwards...

[yespasscbx]

The info jc9812 provided was so helpful to me, I will also share my info below (I was surprised by the unexpected investigator email...)

Submitted: 2/20/19
notice of application complete: 5/29/19
"Notice: introduction to investigator" email: 8/1/19
Positive determination: 8/9/19

gonna post my stats since i found others' helpful

Submitted early January 19
notice of application complete: 2/20/19
"Notice: introduction to investigator" email: 7/12/19
Positive determination: 7/17/19

Congrats! And this timeline is so helpful, thanks!

[rcharter1978]

Any connection between taking the July Bar and getting Moral Character approval shortly afterwards? Got it yesterday, curious whether it got fast-tracked once I took the bar, or just a fluke that I had zero movement and then approval shortly afterwards...

Maybe. Anecdotally, I sent in my C&F after I passed the bar because I assumed I had failed. It was not at all fast tracked and I think it took like 9-10 months. But either way.... congratulations on making it over a hurdle!

[rcharter1978]

I am looking at options for the swearing in ceremony. Did most get sworn in by a judge, individually or in a group? Did you host a reception after for friends and family?

I was sworn in by a federal judge I had developed a close relationship with. It was done in chambers with family in attendance and we had cake afterwards. I probably wouldn't have been interested in a group swear in, and would have gone the notary route if I didn't have someone special to me to swear me in.

I had always kind of wanted a reception/celebration, but I think that was just a vision to get me through the awful drudgery of bar prep. Logistically I think it would have taken too much time and effort.

Maybe you can do like a dinner afterwards and not a full reception?

Anyways, you should really do whatever you want to do. It's your big day!

[Porkypots]

Has anyone that submitted their application after the system change received a notice of application complete? I submitted my app on 3/24 but haven’t received anything at all. Should I contact them ?

[yespasscbx]

Has anyone that submitted their application after the system change received a notice of application complete? I submitted my app on 3/24 but haven’t received anything at all. Should I contact them ?

Isn't the mark '90 days', and you can call on Day 91?

[Moabit]

Has anyone that submitted their application after the system change received a notice of application complete? I submitted my app on 3/24 but haven’t received anything at all. Should I contact them ?

Isn't the mark '90 days', and you can call on Day 91?

My impression was (from a phone conversation) that the attitude now is "don't bother us before the 6 mo mark."

[Porkypots]

Weirdly, I just received my notice of completion letter today. That’s five months from the date I submitted it. Do I really have to wait another 180 days for them to give me a response?

[yespasscbx]

Weirdly, I just received my notice of completion letter today. That’s five months from the date I submitted it. Do I really have to wait another 180 days for them to give me a response?

Have your employers and references received letters? My friend got approved within 5 months. He said his employers received letters very soon after he submitted the application. I'm guessing those letters are an indicator that they start to work on your case.

[Moabit]

Weirdly, I just received my notice of completion letter today. That’s five months from the date I submitted it. Do I really have to wait another 180 days for them to give me a response?

No. I think your case is on an analyst's desk right now. You will likely hear something back in 2-3 weeks, perhaps sooner. If yours is a run-of-the-mill case, most likely you will hear good news.

[Porkypots]

Weirdly, I just received my notice of completion letter today. That’s five months from the date I submitted it. Do I really have to wait another 180 days for them to give me a response?

No. I think your case is on an analyst's desk right now. You will likely hear something back in 2-3 weeks, perhaps sooner. If yours is a run-of-the-mill case, most likely you will hear good news.

Great. Hopefully this is the case. I don’t have any tickets/dui/academic issues. So hopefully it’s run of the mill.

[Porkypots]

Weirdly, I just received my notice of completion letter today. That’s five months from the date I submitted it. Do I really have to wait another 180 days for them to give me a response?

Have your employers and references received letters? My friend got approved within 5 months. He said his employers received letters very soon after he submitted the application. I'm guessing those letters are an indicator that they start to work on your case.

After the system change my references received the letter via email immediately afternoon I submitted the app. Not sure if any my employers received the letters. So maybe that’s whats holding it back.

[astrofan315]

Has anyone that submitted their application after the system change received a notice of application complete? I submitted my app on 3/24 but haven’t received anything at all. Should I contact them ?

Hi Porky, I also submitted my application the week of March 24th. They stated they will be getting to our application within the next week.

[esquire661]

Hello All. I'm in an interesting position and I'm wondering If anyone has had the same experience. I passed the July 2018 bar and submitted my MC app in Feb 2019. On July 9, 2019, I received a message from my analyst saying that my app is pending to be approved, and that there was nothing on my end that I needed to do. 180 days has passed and my status still says "pending internal review". I've asked my analyst because I assume something has been flagged (though I'm not sure what could've been flagged) but he keeps saying that it's pending to be approved and there's nothing I need to do. It's been 7 months now. thankfully I'm clerking, but I'd get a significant salary increase if I could ever get sworn in. Anyone experienced this before?

[Bigslick90]

Happy to post that I just received notice of a positive moral character determination. Took a little over 11 months for me (I did have extensive work experience here and abroad prior to law school). Per my quoted post below, the last few follow-up inquiries had to do with them probing into the matter of unauthorized practice of law in CA. I provided my last response last night and made it clear that all my work related to CA law is appropriately supervised by CA licensed attorneys.

Glad to finally be able to move on. Good luck to all still waiting and thank you again for those who helped me with my question when I was traveling internationally and could not access a copy of my application.

I am breaking my self-imposed moratorium on posting on this forum as I believe what I am posting now will be helpful to others who are in a similar situation (i.e., licensed in another state and trying to get licensed in CA).

The issue I posted on a few months ago was a complete non-issue (despite what some self-proclaimed/self-styled "experts" -- ok, one in particular -- spouts here). All I did was submit a certification from the local court with jurisdiction over the traffic citation that no records of the citation were available anymore, and that was that. As I indicated before (based on what my analyst told me), they simply needed more information on the citation because one of the reports they came across referenced the citation without providing any more details. They just wanted to know what it was about. Once I submitted the certification from the court, that matter was closed.

Having said that, I am still not admitted, unfortunately, and now, the Committee seems to be zoning in on the issue of whether I have not been engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. They've now sent me two follow-up inquiries asking me to describe my current duties in my law firm in CA, whether my work is supervised by a CA licensed attorney, what my email signature and business cards look like, etc. The second follow-up inquiry was essentially the same questions, but with respect to when I was still in NY.

I also want to share that my analyst looked at my Linkedin profile and suggested that I put something there that clearly indicates that I am not admitted in CA. I didn't have anything on there that indicated that I was admitted, but I didn't have a disclaimer either. So now, I've added that disclaimer.

Hopefully this is helpful to a few people who frequent this thread: at the very least, put a disclaimer on your Linkedin profile if you have not already done so. On hindsight, it would have been best if I had submitted my C&F application while I was still in NY and before moving to CA. However, my move happened pretty quickly (decided to move early May, actually moved last week of May and took the CA bar in July). It was an inter-office transfer.

Nope, I will not be engaging the troll regardless of what doomsday outrageous claims he may make at this point. Misery loves company, but I am not inclined to keep him company. Just wanted to help out (and not worried about this at all). Good luck to all!

Edit: I received the second inquiry last night and will provide my response tonight.

In the past few weeks I've gotten one as well. Any chance you could PM me? Thanks

[yespasscbx]

Hello All. I'm in an interesting position and I'm wondering If anyone has had the same experience. I passed the July 2018 bar and submitted my MC app in Feb 2019. On July 9, 2019, I received a message from my analyst saying that my app is pending to be approved, and that there was nothing on my end that I needed to do. 180 days has passed and my status still says "pending internal review". I've asked my analyst because I assume something has been flagged (though I'm not sure what could've been flagged) but he keeps saying that it's pending to be approved and there's nothing I need to do. It's been 7 months now. thankfully I'm clerking, but I'd get a significant salary increase if I could ever get sworn in. Anyone experienced this before?

As I reread this thread, I get the impression that the 180 day mark (or 90 day mark as some applicants believe) starts from when you receive the notice of app completion, not when you submit your app.

[ReasonablePersonSSC]

Hello All. I'm in an interesting position and I'm wondering If anyone has had the same experience. I passed the July 2018 bar and submitted my MC app in Feb 2019. On July 9, 2019, I received a message from my analyst saying that my app is pending to be approved, and that there was nothing on my end that I needed to do. 180 days has passed and my status still says "pending internal review". I've asked my analyst because I assume something has been flagged (though I'm not sure what could've been flagged) but he keeps saying that it's pending to be approved and there's nothing I need to do. It's been 7 months now. thankfully I'm clerking, but I'd get a significant salary increase if I could ever get sworn in. Anyone experienced this before?

As I reread this thread, I get the impression that the 180 day mark (or 90 day mark as some applicants believe) starts from when you receive the notice of app completion, not when you submit your app.

The email I received on March 21 said they had 180 days from then before they had to inform me of my status, however, on the same day I received an email informing me of the name of the investigator to whom it was assigned and that I could inquiry of him in 90 days about the progress. I inquired but never received a reply.

In the end I received a positive determination 175 days from the date they received my application in January, so go figure on what date the 180 clock starts ticking. Above all, remember only 34 applicants were denied in 2018, and 19 in 2017.

[esquire661]

I guess I'm less concerned with whether or not i'll be approved & more concerned with when. I'm just ready to make my deserved salary what was the point of passing the hardest bar exam if I'm still going to be compensated as if I'm a law student? And the fact that my analyst can only say "you're pending to be approved. there is nothing you need to do" is also annoying. obviously something is holding it up, I'm not sure why they can't at least tell me what that is after I've spent thousands of dollars to get to this point.

[Caruthers]

I guess I'm less concerned with whether or not i'll be approved & more concerned with when. I'm just ready to make my deserved salary what was the point of passing the hardest bar exam if I'm still going to be compensated as if I'm a law student? And the fact that my analyst can only say "you're pending to be approved. there is nothing you need to do" is also annoying. obviously something is holding it up, I'm not sure why they can't at least tell me what that is after I've spent thousands of dollars to get to this point.

It’s understandably frustrating when it’s been so long and that’s the only response you get from your analyst. But your waiting until after you passed the exam - congrats on that btw - to file your mc application is certainly a factor in your being “compensated as if I’m a law student....” I’m sure you had a good reason for the delay but we were told over and over to file after our first year so admittance wouldn’t be delayed if we passed the damn thing. Just sayin ... we can’t blame the bar for everything

[esquire661]

I guess I'm less concerned with whether or not i'll be approved & more concerned with when. I'm just ready to make my deserved salary what was the point of passing the hardest bar exam if I'm still going to be compensated as if I'm a law student? And the fact that my analyst can only say "you're pending to be approved. there is nothing you need to do" is also annoying. obviously something is holding it up, I'm not sure why they can't at least tell me what that is after I've spent thousands of dollars to get to this point.

It’s understandably frustrating when it’s been so long and that’s the only response you get from your analyst. But your waiting until after you passed the exam - congrats on that btw - to file your mc application is certainly a factor in your being “compensated as if I’m a law student....” I’m sure you had a good reason for the delay but we were told over and over to file after our first year so admittance wouldn’t be delayed if we passed the damn thing. Just sayin ... we can’t blame the bar for everything

I turned in the application once I had worked long enough to save enough money to do so. I was actually never told to file after my first year, because I went to a law school out of state. Regardless, having my analyst repeatedly tell me that nothing has been flagged & not requesting further information from me after six months seemed odd, which is why I came to the forum to see if anyone else had the same issue, to get a feel of what their timeline was like. So your condescending "advice" wasn't needed, nor was it requested. just sayin.