Working through law school may have been the most challenging yet rewarding time in your life. You may have studied hard, but also found time to go out with your friends. You may not have thought too much about how those outings could affect your future career, but if the California Bar Association believes that you have demonstrated poor moral character, you could face a number of issues.
You may not think that moral character should play a substantial role in whether you the Bar accepts you. However, moral character is important, especially when working closely with clients in sensitive situations as attorneys do. Therefore, you may want to understand the importance of moral character.
Why care about moral character?
Moral character relates to how you view morals and ethics. If the Bar believes that you have poor moral character, the members may feel that you do not adhere to the morals or ethics that would make a valuable attorney. Good moral character can prove that you have the following characteristics:
- Trustworthy: Trustworthiness is important as an attorney because your clients need to trust your ability and trust that you will do your part to help them or otherwise conduct yourself in an appropriate manner.
- Inspirational: You may think that being inspirational is a bit over the top, but this characteristic does not mean that you have to save puppies. Your good moral character could simply boost morale, show good work ethic and inspire those around you to strive for their goals.
- Loyalty: Good moral character can also show that you have loyalty to those who work with you. If your clients do not feel that you have a loyalty to them or feel that you will treat them disrespectfully, they may not feel the need to be loyal to you either.
Of course, good moral character goes far beyond these characteristics, and it plays a significant role in your future profession as an attorney.
Handling issues
If you believe that issues with your moral character may prevent you from entering the Bar, you may need help in tackling this issue. Fortunately, you could seek help from an experienced and knowledgeable California attorney who understands moral character, how to satisfy the committee and other important aspects of handling this part of the process. A minor indiscretion or lapse in judgment in your past should not hold you back from your dream career.