Every American jurisdiction in which you may practice law after graduation from law school requires each applicant for admission to the bar to meet character and fitness requirements as a condition of eligibility for admission. A character and fitness review will require truthful, accurate, and complete reporting of all requested information related to past conduct that bar examiners may deem relevant to one’s fitness to practice law. In most jurisdictions this includes (but is not limited to):
- all criminal arrests, charges, plea agreements, convictions, or instances of being taken into custody, as a juvenile or adult;
- all traffic violations (including parking citations);
- involvement as a party to civil litigation;
- acts of fraud, dishonesty or lack of candor; educational discipline or misconduct (including honor code proceedings in law school, regardless of the findings of the Honor Council);
- failure to pay financial obligations;
- substance abuse.
Many jurisdictions, including Kentucky, require disclosure of all criminal arrests, charges, plea agreements or convictions, as a juvenile or adult, even where the record has been expunged.
As a UK law student, you have an ongoing duty to amend your law school application with any new information affecting character and fitness for the bar exam. This includes any new incidents occurring while you are in law school or which you failed to report on your application for admission. To make an amendment, please contact Assistant Dean of Student Services Carlin Conway.
- If you are unsure of what must be reported or why it is must be reported, please contact Assistant Dean Conway. It may also be helpful, for reference and example, to consult these FAQs from the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions.
In no way does admission to UK Law imply or guarantee applicants will be admitted to any particular bar.
For any other questions regarding updates to your character and fitness, please contact Assistant Dean Conway.