Character & Fitness / Disclosures

In addition to the examinations, students are required to demonstrate that s/he is a person of good moral character and possesses the proper conduct and behavior fit to carry out the duties and responsibilities of a practicing attorney. The character and fitness investigative process requires disclosures that may vary from state to state. You should be prepared to list specifics of your resident addresses since you were 18, employers for the past five years including contacts to confirm employment, certified motor vehicle records, credit history, any school disciplinary actions or arrests. Your bar application may be compared to your law school admissions file.

If you cannot recall what you disclosed to the law school you may fill out the Release Educational Records form and our office will provide you with that information to assist you with your bar application.

If you need to submit additional disclosures prior to graduating or after graduating, submit them to David Jaffe, Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Gathering this information is time consuming. Please start to assemble and organize as soon as possible.

All requests for bar related forms to be signed and certified, including character and fitness forms must be submitted through the Bar Certification Request Form. In some cases, the Bar Examiners will submit the request directly to the law school. In these cases, the Bar Examiners may email forms to registrationservice@wcl.american.edu or mail forms to:

Office of the Registrar
American University Washington College of Law
4300 Nebraska Avenue NW
Suite C107
Washington, D.C. 20016