My husband is planning on finishing his college education when he is released and is wanting to go to post graduate school....hopefully for law. I am wondering....can an felon become an attorney? Thanks for any help or information!
-Kathe

I don't think they can. They can be a legal assistant. I've talked to a few guys here in Michigan that have a felony record and went to school and are now legal assistants.

Deb

NO, every state has a mandate that anyone taking the bar exam must be conviction free.

If they were lawyers before there conviction then they may resume practice after conviction. However, most convicted felons that were lawyers have there bar card terminated after conviction anyway.

The college he's gotten so far will be useful for other professions, though, and he can apply the credits toward post graduate studies in some other area.

Thanks for the information everyone....I figured that was the case...but wanted to double check.

Don't you find it kind of ironic that lawyers have this rule (so far as I know most other professions don't explicitly state it) and yet they are the least respected professionals?
Good luck with finding a path to pursue. I'm in grad school myself right now and it is very important to make sure you are in the right field before investing so much money.

Actually it is possible to become an attorney after a felony conviction, at least in NY.

There is no directive that says a felon absolutely, 100% cannot be an attorney in NY. Criminial activity falls under the "character & fitness" section of Bar review. The Appellate Division (State Supreme Court, 3rd JD) is responsible for evaluating the character and fitness of persons seeking admission to the Bar. You can make a petition for "advance ruling with respect to past conduct" once you have been accepted by a law school. That way they are forced to look at your past and make a ruling before you even commit yourself to lawschool.

I would imagine it's an uphill battle and you would have to really satisfy the panel that you would be a good/ethical lawyer. Excellent scholastic performance, community work, a good amount of time since the conviction, effective networking, etc.

It isn't only lawyers. You cannot become a Certified Public Accountant with a felony conviction either. Not only a conviction, but a deferred ajudication disqualifies you.

You also cannot teach in the public schools or be an escrow officer for a land title company.

I have researched the idea of going to law school for felons and I have discovered that their are several states that would allow you to practice
law with a felony conviction. It is possible, but you will have to go to hell and back to become one. I suggest taking the LSAT test and doing good on that before looking at schools. A brief list of states that allow felons to be lawyers are :

California
Texas
New York
Tennessee
Illinois
There are many more I assure you. Please visit my personal webpage for more info at:http://******************/group/Youthful_Offender_2ndChance/

My son is a graduating senior with a kinesiology major and is facing the decision to take the state's offer of probation, 30 days in jail, 1,500.00 fine for intoxicated assault in Texas. He and two friends were bar hopping one night when he lost control of his truck in a driving rain storm and almost killed his buddy - who is still in bad shape. He has been in school 6 years and now looks like he won't get his first teaching/coaching job. Does anyone know if you can still coach/teach with this kind of conviction? Can you get deferred probation for this type of charge? He had nothing else on his record.

If he is working with minors (i.e. high school), he will be subject to a background check. At a college, he will usually not. I think this is a good question for your lawyer.

You encourage your man to continue his education in law or what ever he wishes, there will be a job out there somewhere for him, and you know what, there is nothing better than felling good about your self with no matter what field. i am a pre law student going after my son. I know that their are good attorneys that hire men who had been in trouble, and have a education. My hats off to him. Good luck girl. The best to you.

I have researched the idea of going to law school for felons and I have discovered that their are several states that would allow you to practice
law with a felony conviction. It is possible, but you will have to go to hell and back to become one. I suggest taking the LSAT test and doing good on that before looking at schools. A brief list of states that allow felons to be lawyers are :

California
Texas
New York
Tennessee
IllinoisThere are many more I assure you. Please visit my personal webpage for more info at:http://******************/group/Youthful_Offender_2ndChance/ That is some very interesting information, and very much appreciated, my son is in for along time, however I am in the process myself personally to get my law degree, and can possibly help him get his as well. That is wonderful news. What a wonderful thing this prisons web site, Thank you so much.

Why do people post here that have no idea what they are talking about? Only 3-4 states in the entire country "MANDATE" that people with felony records cannot practice law. Most states allow felons to practice law, but like many others here have said, it's not easy. C&F board must approve, etc.

A good rule of thumb = If you don't know what you're talking about, don't talk.

I've learned that all you can be with felony conviction is a felon.........

Not exactly on topic but here in Ohio, I had to have my felony conviction expunged before I could hold a liquor license.

Lorax, how did you go about doing that? What was your situation,if you don't mind sharing?

Here what it says in CA bar admission's requirements, they call it the Statement on Moral Character Requirement:

"It is the policy of The State Bar of California that persons who have been convicted of violent felonies, felonies involving moral turpitude and crimes involving a breach of fiduciary duty are presumed not to be of good moral character in the absence of a pardon or a showing of overwhelming reform and rehabilitation. The Committee shall exercise its discretion to determine whether applicants convicted of violent felonies, felonies involving moral turpitude and crimes involving a breach of fiduciary duty have produced overwhelming proof of reform and rehabilitation, including at a minimum, a lengthy period of not only unblemished, but exemplary conduct.
The factors enumerated below are guidelines that may be taken into consideration when evaluating whether an applicant has demonstrated rehabilitation. Not all factors listed below will be applicable to every single case nor will each factor necessarily be given equal weight in evaluating the rehabilitation of an applicant. The factors, taken as a whole although not inclusive, assist the Committee in determining whether an applicant has demonstrated rehabilitation from an act of misconduct or moral turpitude. " www.calbar.cal.gov (http://www.calbar.cal.gov)

The bar requirements are very general among the states, making other states no different.

Theoretically, it is extremely difficult to obtain your license with a felony conviction. In practice, it is virtually impossible.

And it is a shame that in practice it is virtually impossible, because I believe every good criminal lawyer must spent at least a week in prison to know exactly how it feels before going to prosecute or defend somebody.
Most lawyers that I have ever known in my life ( I have been married to a lawyer) morally are worse than felons. Honestly, many people on the inside have better morals and values than these bar licensed JERKS.

Sure, Lisa, all is almost impossible for most once a felony conviction is on your record. Unfortunate as it is, I know, I am living this nightmare now and I do not ever see an end in sight. However I would have to disagree that many people inside have better values/morals than attorneys. I have not had much contact with attorneys, unfortunately 1 is too many in my book, but I was inside with a bunch of guys who did dumb, illegal things, like me,and instead of being sorry, they felt that they got hosed, for things they admitted they did wrong. I know what I did was wrong, but I only want a 2nd chance to make up for my first (and last) offense. Anyway, I'll have to agree with gradschoolfelon, so far, the only thing I can be so far with a felony conviction, is a felon.