Texas Board of Law Examiners (“BOLE”) – Are you good and fit to practice law in Texas?
- Your Hearing Before the Texas Board of Law Examiners: The Top 10 Reasons You Should Have an Attorney, by Bob Bennett and Jared Byrd
“You can find on the Board’s website (www.ble.state.tx.us) the “Information About the Hearing Process” that provides you some platitudinous statements about the Hearing Process. You are advised in this information posting that you have a right to counsel but, “If you prefer to represent yourself, you may do so.” With your hands sweating and your heart pounding, you now have to answer the question whether you as a law student really need a lawyer. Here are some reasons that may help you. We could even call them the Top Ten reasons you need an attorney.” Click the Article’s Title to continue reading [PDF].
“At the hearing, in addition to yourself and hopefully your legal counsel, will be the staff attorney for the Texas, a court reporter and three (3) Panel Members of the Texas Board of Law Examiners. You may have previously elected to have certain witnesses admitted but the hearing remains closed to the general public or it is open. This is the result of you Open Hearing Election that is at the very end of the hearing instructions you received with the letter stating the date your hearing has been set for. Do not overlook this if you want and expect to have witnesses present to speak on your behalf. It is always good if at least one of your recommenders or at least a family member is willing to appear at the hearing to speak in your behalf. This is matter of impression with the Panel; although it may not be possible as in the case of someone from out-of-state seeking admission to the Texas Bar. ” Click the Article’s Title to continue reading [PDF].
- Preparing Your File for a Texas Board of Law Examiners’ Hearing, by Bob Bennett
“Carefully review the applications and the communications from the Texas Board of Law Examiners; compare and know exactly what the Texas Board of Law Examiners are targeting.
Obtain letters of recommendation that not only speak to the good moral character of the Client, but also set forth knowledge of the event(s) and that the event(s) were an aberration, were youthful mistakes of years past, or do not reflect the character of the Client today.” Click the Article’s Title to continue reading [PDF].
“Any Texas law student wishing to apply for admission to the Texas Bar must complete and filed a form entitled the Declaration of Intention to Study Law (“Declaration”) with the Texas Board of Law Examiners (“BLE”).1 The deadlines vary according to when you start law school; however the deadline tends to fall shortly (possibly as quickly as within 6 weeks) of when you begin your law school studies. Check with the Texas Board of Law Examiners for exact deadlines. The website is: www.ble.state.tx.us.” Click the Article’s Title to continue reading [PDF].
- BOLE Doesn’t Appreciate Haste or a Bad Memory, by Bob Bennett
“The Texas Board of Law Examiners tells you that you fail to meet the standards of good moral character and fitness. Is all hope lost in the discretionary purview of the board? Most applicants for admission to the State Bar of Texas will tell you their greatest fear is that they will not do well on the bar examination or, horror of horrors, fail some part of the examination. However, there are those applicants who will tell you there is a worst-scene scenario: The Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) informs you that you fail to meet the standards of good moral character and fitness, and therefore you are not eligible to take the bar examination. Even if you already are licensed in another state or country, you still have to pass muster on the “good moral character and fitness” requirements. Is your Texas legal career over before you’ve begun?” Click the Article’s Title to continue reading [PDF].