La. R. Sup. Ct. 4

As amended through October 31, 2024

Section 4 - The Application Process

Any person seeking admission to the Louisiana Bar shall apply to the Committee and shall request that the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) prepare a character report, as more fully described below and in accordance with instructions posted at http://www.lascba.org. Bar Admission fees approved by the Court are set forth in the Appendix of this Rule. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008]

(A)Law Student Registration Program. Every prospective applicant for admission to the Bar of this state who is enrolled in one of the ABA accredited law schools located in this state, shall participate in the Law Student Registration Program administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). Each prospective applicant shall submit an application to the NCBE and pay the prescribed fee no later than October 1st of the fall semester of the second academic year of law school. The NCBE shall conduct an investigation into the applicant's character and fitness and submit to the Committee a preliminary report of its findings. Any prospective applicant for admission to the Bar of the state who is enrolled in an ABA accredited law school located outside of the state may participate in the Law Student Registration Program administered by the NCBE, in which case the above rule shall apply to said student.

[Amended effective November 19, 2002]

(B)Preliminary Report of Adverse Information. Upon receipt of a preliminary report from the NCBE reflecting adversely upon the character and fitness of the applicant to practice law in this state, the Committee shall notify the applicant that, based upon such report, it has made a preliminary determination that, if the applicant applies for admission to the Bar, it may not certify the applicant to the Court for admission, and advise the applicant of the adverse information received. Within 30 days of receipt of such notice the applicant may submit a written response to the information received by the Committee. Within 45 days of receipt of any such response, the Committee shall notify the prospective applicant whether the information submitted has caused the Committtee to make a preliminary determination that it may certify the prospective applicant for admission. Within 30 days of such notice the applicant may submit a written response or materials to the Committee pertinent to the adverse information.

(C)Application for Admission to the Bar; Supplemental Investigation by National Conference of Bar Examiners. An applicant applying for the examination administered in July shall on or before February 1st submit a Bar Examination Application and payment of the applicable fees to the Committee on Bar Admissions and a request for the preparation of a character report and payment to the NCBE.

An applicant may apply for the July examination after the February 1st deadline, provided the Bar Examination Application and Request for Preparation of a Character Report are received no later than May 15th. Late applicants shall submit a late filing fee to the Committee in addition to all other applicable fees. Under no circumstances will the Committee process an application to take the July examination, and under no circumstances will the Court grant a petition to take the July examination, if the application is received by the Committee after May 15th.

An applicant applying for the examination administered in February shall on or before November 1st of the year preceding the February bar exam submit a Bar Examination Application along with payment of the applicable fees to the Committee on Bar Admissions and a Request for the Preparation of a Character Report and payment to the NCBE.

An applicant may apply for the February examination after the November 1st deadline, provided the Bar Examination Application and Request for Preparation of a Character Report are received no later than December 15th. Late applicants shall submit a late filing fee to the Committee in addition to all other applicable fees. Under no circumstances will the Committee process an application to take the February examination, and under no circumstances will the Court grant a petition to take the February examination, if the application is received after December 15th.

An applicant who is applying for re-examination in accordance with Section 8 may apply for a waiver of the foregoing provisions requiring a Request for the Preparation of a Character Report by certifying no change in circumstances on a form prescribed by the Committee; however, in no instance shall a waiver be granted more than two years after the date of the applicant's most recent Request for the Preparation of a Character Report. Furthermore, notwithstanding the other application deadlines set forth above in this Section 4(C), applications for re-examination pursuant to Section 8 will be accepted by the Committee if filed on or before December 15 for the February examination, and on or before May 15 for the July examination. Under no circumstances will the Committee process an application for re-examination, and under no circumstances will the Court grant a petition to re-take the examination, if the application for re-examination is received by the Committee after December 15 for the February examination, or after May 15 for the July examination.

If the applicant has participated in the Law Student Registration Program, the applicant shall submit to the Committee a Bar Examination Application and payment of the applicable fees to the Committee, in accordance with the deadlines established above. The applicant shall also submit a request for a supplemental report on a form prescribed by the NCBE, and payment of the applicable fee to the NCBE, in accordance with the deadlines established above.

No applicant shall be admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana until a final, satisfactory report of investigation has been received from the National Conference of Bar Examiners, and the Committee certifies the applicant's character and fitness to practice law. [Repealed and reenacted effective August 1, 2008]

(D)Notification of Failure to Meet Requirements. If the Committee determines that the applicant does not meet the requirements of Section 3 of this Rule and that the applicant will not be certified to the Court for admission to the Bar of this state, it shall notify the applicant in writing of such determination and the reason(s) therefor. The applicant may appeal the Committee's determination under the provisions of Section 9. [Amended effective August 1, 2008]

(E)Request for Accommodation; Americans with Disabilities Act. Any applicant who requests special accommodations for the written examination under the Americans with Disabilities Act shall make such request, in writing, to the Committee on or before November 1st for the February Bar examination, or on or before February 1st for the July examination and shall thereafter provide promptly to the Committee such supporting or corroborating information as the Committee may request. The Committee shall advise the applicant of its decision not less than thirty (30) days prior to the beginning of the written examination. Information obtained by the Committee in conjunction with a request for testing accommodations may be used by the Committee to carry out any and all of its duties, including its duty to investigate the character and fitness of the applicant. [Repealed and reenacted effective August 1, 2008]

(F) Notice of Approval to Sit for the Bar Examination. No less than thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of the written bar examination, the Committee shall notify the applicant whether it has approved the applicant to sit for the written examination. The notice may also provide that the applicant has met all other requirements for admission or that the application is deficient due to the lack of receipt by the Committee of a Character Report from the NCBE, the continuing investigation of an applicant's character and fitness, the lack of a reported passing MPRE score or any other deficiency which must be addressed in order to meet the requirements for admission. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008]

(G) Candor in the Application Process. Lack of candor during the application process may be independent grounds for a finding of lack of good moral character by the Committee and refusal to certify the applicant to the Court for admission. Such lack of candor, if discovered after admission, may serve as the basis for disciplinary action by the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. Applicants shall provide complete and candid responses to all inquiries, whether on the Bar Examination Application, the NCBE's Request for the Preparation of a Character Report or Supplemental Report, or as part of any investigation, inquiry or proceeding. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008]

(H) Duty to Keep Application Current. Until admitted to the Bar, an applicant is under a continuing obligation to keep his or her application current and must update responses whenever there is an addition to or a change to information previously provided to the Committee or to the NCBE. Those updates must be made in writing and must include all relevant documentation. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008]

(I) Preliminary Approval. In all instances, any indication of approval or certification by the Committee of an applicant for admission to the Bar is preliminary until the applicant has taken the oath of office and been admitted as a member of the Bar. Changes in circumstance, or discovery of previously unknown information, or reconsideration of previously known information, may result in refusal by the Committee to certify an applicant for admission, or in the withdrawal of a previously indicated approval of certification if the applicant has not yet been admitted to the Bar.

La. R. Sup. Ct. 4

Enacted effective 8/1/2008