Opinion ID: 2508592
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Good Character and Fitness.

Text: (1) Standard of Character and Fitness. A lawyer should be one whose record of conduct justifies the trust of clients, adversaries, courts and others with respect to the professional duties owed to them. A record manifesting a deficiency in: (i) honesty, (ii) trustworthiness, (iii) diligence, (iv) reliability, (v) financial responsibility, (vi) professional responsibility, or (vii) respect for the law shall be grounds for denying an application. (2) The burden of proving good character and fitness is on the applicant. HBBE § 2.6(c) provides: (c) The following factors, among others, adversely reflect on an applicant's character and fitness to practice law and may constitute cause for additional inquiry or a recommendation to deny the application: (1) unlawful conduct; (2) academic misconduct; (3) false statements; (4) relevant and material omissions; (5) misconduct in employment; (6) acts involving, dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; (7) abuse of legal process; (8) neglect of professional obligations; (9) violation of a court order; (10) denial of admission in another jurisdiction on character or fitness grounds; (11) legal or professional disciplinary action in any jurisdiction; (12) failure to conform conduct to the requirements of the law; (13) a pattern of offenses, even ones of minor significance indicating indifference to legal obligation; and (14) financial irresponsibility.