Tag Archive for: applying to Florida Bar

Why Did So Many Do So Poorly on July’s Bar Exam?

In a recent article from Bloomberg Business, they reported that the people who took the most recent bar exam in July were more likely to fail than those who took it last year.  They also claimed that on one portion of the test, the scores dropped to their lowest point in 10 years.

Bloomberg’s report wondered if America’s law graduates are “getting dumber?”

The National Conference of Bar Examiners,  the people who put the bar exam together, seem to think so. The report states that this year’s grads’ pre-law-school test scores declined from the year before, and did so every year from 2010 to 2013. However, this does not explain the poor performance on this year’s bar exam.  They didn’t do slightly worse, they did much worse.

Several law professors felt the reason may have been do to a software glitch causing the test company problems in uploading the answers the first day. No answers were lost but there was much time and anxiety spent with this issue which some feel may have contributed to the poor performance on the remainder of the test.

Many observers feel this should not deflect the issue.  The scores are getting worse on a yearly basis.  Some people feel that as law schools get fewer applications, they may be accepting less than qualified applicants in order to meet their bottom line.

We also caution perspective law students that it could be possible, in order to fill the classrooms, some law schools may be more lax in the applicant’s background. Even though the school accepts the applicant, the Florida Bar may not.

The Soreide Law Group represents those seeking admittance to the Florida Bar, and existing attorneys, for both Investigative Hearings and Formal Hearings before the Florida Bar.

For more information about our services at no cost call: (888) 760-6552.

Florida Bar Defense Attorney Hearing Tip of the Month

Having just returned from the Orlando meeting before the Florida Board of Bar Examiners, I think it is important to emphasis to applicants the importance of fiscal responsibility.

The Florida Board of Bar Examiners is not a debt collection agency nor do they work for your creditors. If you are admitted as an attorney in Florida, you can immediately open a trust account and will be responsible for managing the account and making sure you follow all the bar rules concerning trust accounting. It is clearly a red flag if as a non-attorney applicant there is strong evidence of not being able to manage your own financial affairs.

One particular creditor the Florida Bar does not want to see you turn your back on is the Internal Revenue Service. If you owe the IRS money and you can’t afford to pay them at the time, make a payment plan or offer what you can afford. If anything, this at least evidences some financial responsibility that you can resolve your own debts and come to a resolution.

Many times creditors will accept pennies on the dollar and I work with and advise my Florida Bar hearing clients on how to resolve the vast majority of their debts prior to their hearing. While sitting before the Board it is best to not have anything delinquent.

For more information speak to a Florida Bar hearing defense lawyer at the Soreide Law Group.  We represent those seeking admittance to The Florida Bar, and existing lawyers, for both Investigative Hearings and Formal Hearings in front of The Florida Bar. Please call (888) 760-6552.

What is “Disqualifying Conduct” When Applying to the Florida Bar?

The following information was obtained on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners website. The result of the conduct listed here is often the reason our firm is called on when an Investigative or Formal hearing is requested by the Board of Bar Examiners.

“Pursuant to  rule 3-11 a record manifesting a lack of honesty, trustworthiness, diligence, or reliability may constitute a basis for denial of admission. Any of the following may be considered by the board to be a basis for further inquiry before recommending admission:

  • Unlawful conduct
  • Academic misconduct
  • Making or procuring any false or misleading statement or omission of relevant information, including any false or misleading statement or omission on the Bar Application, or any amendment, or in any testimony or sworn statement submitted to the board
  • Misconduct in employment
  • Acts involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation
  • Abuse of legal process
  • Financial irresponsibility
  • Neglect of professional obligations
  • Violation of an order of a court
  • Evidence of mental or emotional instability
  • Evidence of drug or alcohol dependency
  • Denial of admission to the bar in another jurisdiction on character and fitness grounds
  • Disciplinary action by a lawyer disciplinary agency or other professional disciplinary agency of any jurisdiction
  • Any other conduct which reflects adversely upon the character and fitness of the applicant”

This ends the information obtained on the Florida Board of Bar Examiners website.

Soreide Law Group represents those seeking admittance to the Florida Bar, and existing attorneys, for both Investigative Hearings and Formal Hearings before the Florida Bar. For more information about our services please call (888) 760-6552.

Florida Bar Investigative Hearing Defense Attorney Tip of the Month June 2014

Are out of state attorneys applying to the Florida Bar subjected to a higher level of scrutiny than first time applicants? There is no quantifiable data that can answer this question, but it is my opinion that yes they are.
Having personally represented over a hundred applicants before the Board, I see out-of-state attorneys applying to the Florida Bar for the first time, being called in for investigative hearings for what would normally not spark any further inquiry for first time new lawyer applicants. The logic behind this may be that retirees, typically from up North, who move down here should retire, and the Bar has an interest in retirees not “hanging a shingle” which would cut into the livelihood of existing Florida attorneys.
Either way, whatever the logic is, if you are licensed and practicing in another state and applying to the Florida Bar, it is wise to consult a Florida Bar Hearing Investigative Hearing Defense attorney to review your application before filing, and to not represent yourself if you are called in.
Licensed attorneys tend to want to represent themselves due to the fact that they have litigation experience in their respective area of law.  In most instances, the field of expertise they are licensed in does not translate to an administrative hearing, and a consultation with an attorney who routinely practices in this area is recommended.
If you have an upcoming investigative or formal hearing with the Florida Bar, call Soreide Law Group for a consultation at no cost with a Florida Bar Hearing Defense Attorney at (888) 760-6552. Our attorneys will travel to all locations in Florida to appear before the Board of Bar Examiners.

Florida Bar Hearing Defense Lawyer’s Tip of the Month for February 2014

This might seem obvious to some, but more often than not applicants to the Florida Bar do not review their Law School Applications prior to submitting the application to The Florida Bar. The Florida Board of Bar Examiners look for inconsistencies between your law school and bar applications. As a college student entering law school, one can be all too eager to assume the most favorable interpretation of a question on a law school application to not highlight some past transgression. The Florida Bar does fully expect an applicant to be completely candid in the admissions process, including BOTH applications.
So if you failed to disclose something on your law school application, please amend prior to submitting the Bar Application. It will definitely mitigate, to some extent, the lack of candor on the Law School Application if you become proactive and take it upon yourself to amend the application without the Board of Bar Examiners requesting you amend it. Candor is the most important aspect of the admissions process and applicants need to be extra careful in being consistent on all applications submitted signed under penalty of perjury.
If you have an investigative hearing and you have candor issues, feel free to call 954-760-6552 for a free consultation.