Opinion
NO. 2017-BA-2125
08-31-2018
IN RE: COMMITTEE ON BAR ADMISSIONS CFN-55
BAR ADMISSIONS PROCEEDING
PER CURIAMPetitioner applied to take the Louisiana Bar Examination. The Committee on Bar Admissions ("Committee") advised petitioner that it could not certify him to take the bar exam on character and fitness grounds. Petitioner then applied to this court for permission to take the bar exam. We granted the application, with the condition that upon petitioner's successful completion of the exam, he apply for the appointment of a commissioner to take character and fitness evidence.
Upon passing the bar exam, and on petitioner's application to this court, we remanded this matter to the Committee on Bar Admissions Panel on Character and Fitness to conduct an investigation and appointed a commissioner to take character and fitness evidence. Following the proceedings, the commissioner filed his report with this court, recommending that petitioner be admitted to the practice of law. Neither party objected to this recommendation.
Considering the commissioner's recommendation and the entire record of this proceeding, we conclude petitioner is eligible to be admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana, subject to the following conditions:
1. Petitioner shall execute a two-year diagnostic monitoring agreement with the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program ("JLAP").
2. The period of this conditional admission shall coincide with the period of petitioner's JLAP agreement. However, petitioner's conditional admission status shall not be terminated until this court so orders.
3. Petitioner shall authorize the Executive Director of JLAP to report any violations of the JLAP agreement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC").
4. Upon the expiration of the term of petitioner's JLAP agreement, the Executive Director of JLAP shall forward to the ODC (a) a final report of petitioner's progress and participation in JLAP, and (b) a recommendation regarding the need for petitioner's continued participation in JLAP.
5. Following receipt of the report from JLAP, the ODC shall file a report in this court in which it shall recommend whether the conditional admission shall be allowed to terminate or shall be extended.
6. Petitioner shall cooperate with JLAP and the ODC, and shall comply with any and all requirements imposed upon him by JLAP and the ODC.
Should petitioner fail to make a good faith effort to satisfy these conditions, or should he commit any misconduct during the period of probation, his conditional right to practice may be terminated or he may be subjected to other discipline pursuant to the Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement.
CONDITIONAL ADMISSION GRANTED.
Hughes, J., would grant admission without conditions.