Q: can You become a lawyer if you have filed bankruptcy previously?
A: Filing bankruptcy is a legally permitted act that was designed by Congress to help people in debt get out of debt and get a fresh start in life. The mere act of filing Bankruptcy should have nothing to do with your fitness to practice law. (Apparently you can file bankruptcy several times and get elected President of the United States.) Now the circumstances that led you to file bankruptcy may or may not be relevant to your admission to practice law. The Bar Association of the State you apply to practice in is looking for someone who is qualified because they have the training, they passed the required exams, and they are of good moral character. You first have to finish law school and then pass a bar exam. As part of your application to be licensed you may have to answer some questions an go through a background check. Remember that requirements to be admitted to practice law vary from State to State, so each State Bar Association will have a different screening process. Follow this link to read the admission requirements for the Oregon State Bar: http://www.osbar.org/_docs/rulesregs/admissions.pdf
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
