The Supreme Court of Ohio annual report - Supreme Court - State of ...

OFFICE OF BAR ADMISSIONS
The Office of Bar Admissions supports the Supreme Court in its
constitutional responsibility to regulate the admission of applicants
to the practice of law in Ohio. The office processes applications for
admission, including registration applications, applications to take the
bar examination and applications for admission without examination.
It also oversees character and fitness investigations of applicants;
coordinates and administers semiannual bar examinations; and
organizes admission ceremonies during which eligible applicants take
the oath of office.
The Office of Bar Admissions also issues miscellaneous certificates
relating to bar admission, including legal intern certificates for law
students working in clinical programs, temporary certificates for
attorneys licensed in other states and working in law school clinical
programs or other legal services programs, as well as certificates for
foreign legal consultants. The office provides support to the Board
of Bar Examiners and the Board of Commissioners on Character &
Fitness.
In 2007, the office processed more than 3,800 applications, including
1,806 law student registrations, 1,916 bar exam applications, and
108 applications for admission without examination. The office
administered the bar exam to 1,745 applicants — 494 in February and
1,251 in July.
The office continued its work supporting the Board of
Commissioners on Character & Fitness. During the year, the board
conducted 25 hearings regarding the character and fitness of
applicants for admission. In October, the board conducted a character
and fitness seminar for bar association admissions committee members
and staff at the Ohio State Bar Association. About 115 attorneys
attended the day-long seminar.
On Jan. 1, 2007, after a transition period of more than 18 months,
the Office of Bar Admissions left the Clerk’s Division to become a part
of the Attorney Services Division.
With the addition of the Office of Bar Admissions in the Attorney
Services Division, the division administers the Court’s rules regarding
both the admission and regulation of practice of Ohio attorneys.
Board of Bar
Examiners
Lee Ann Ward,
Secretary
Michael M. Briley
Robert R. Byard
Ralph E. Cascarilla
Lisa Weekley Coulter
Joseph Dattilo
Jennifer E. Day
Brian N. Eisen
John R. Gall
Elizabeth A. Harvey
Julie A. Jones
Samuel Z. Kaplan
Edward F. Kozelek
Hon. R. Scott Krichbaum
Ellen M. McCarthy
Michael P. Morrison, chair
Michael E. Murman
Thomas J. Scanlon
John W. Waddy Jr.
Hon. Mark K. Wiest
Board of
Commissioners on
Character & Fitness
Lee Ann Ward,
Secretary
J. Patrick Apel
Mary Asbury
Andrew J. Dorman
John C. Fairweather
Hon. Nancy D. Hammond
Todd C. Hicks
Hon. Michael L. Howard
Hon. Sara E. Lioi, chair
G. Scott McBride
D. Michael Reny
Suzanne K. Richards, chair
Hon. David Tobin
Adolfo A. Tornichio
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