Section 1 - Committee on Bar Admissions The Court's constitutional authority to regulate the admission of qualified applicants to the Bar of this state shall be administered by the Committee on Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
(A)Composition and Terms. The Committee shall consist of nineteen (19) members of the Bar appointed by the Court on recommendation of the Louisiana State Bar Association. Every member of the Committee shall have been admitted to the Bar of this state for a minimum of five years and shall be a member in good standing during their term of office. The members of the Committee shall be appointed for a term of five years, and may be reappointed for one additional term of five years. No member of the Committee may serve for more than ten years, whether or not such years are consecutive. Subject to this limitation, each member of the Committee shall continue to serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor has been appointed. Notwithstanding the aforementioned limitation on reappointment terms and length of service, Committee members who are elected or chosen to the following positions may be reappointed to a third term of five years:
(2) Director of Character and Fitness; (3) Director of Accommodations; (4) Director of Testing; and(5) Members of the Testing Committee. In addition, the Committee Chair may be reappointed to serve an additional one-year term as the Immediate Past Chair following his or her service as Committee Chair.
[Rule XVII, Section 1(A) amended effective May 29, 2014]
(B)Powers of the Committee. The Committee shall elect its own chair and such other officers as it deems necessary to carry out its duties. All officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Committee. The Committee may adopt internal operating rules and procedures which shall be effective upon approval of the Court. (C)Assistant Examiners. Upon request of the Committee, the Court may appoint such assistant examiners as the Committee may require. Every assistant examiner shall have been admitted to the Bar of this state for a minimum of five years and shall be a member in good standing during their appointment. Assistant examiners shall serve at the pleasure of the Court. (D)Representation of the Committee. The Attorney for Character and Fitness may act as counsel for the Committee relative to any investigative, Commissioner, Court or other proceeding. [Repealed and reenacted effective August 1, 2008] (E)Conflicts of Interest; Law School Faculty; Bar Review Courses. Members of the Committee and Assistant Examiners should not have adverse interests, conflicting duties or inconsistent obligations that will in any way interfere with the proper and impartial administration of their duties. No full time member of any law school faculty shall serve as a member of the Committee or as an Assistant Examiner. No member of the adjunct faculty of any law school shall serve as an Examiner or Assistant Examiner for any examination subject that such person teaches in law school. No person who owns a financial interest in, or who participates in the management of, or who provides instruction or materials for any Bar Review Course shall serve as a member of the Committee or as an Assistant Examiner. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008] (F)Immunity. Without limiting, restricting or waiving any privilege or immunity otherwise available under state or federal law: (1) Members of the Committee, Assistant Examiners, Equivalency Panel Members, Commissioners, the Attorney for Character and Fitness, and their respective employees, consultants and agents shall be immune from suit for any act or failure to act, if taken or omitted or made in the course of their official duties or reasonably related to their official duties, including, without limitation, any communications made in an official capacity. (2) Communications to the Court, the Committee or its members, Assistant Examiners, Equivalency Panel Members, Commissioners, the Attorney for Character and Fitness, and their respective employees, consultants or agents, and testimony given regarding an applicant, potential applicant or conditionally admitted lawyer, shall be absolutely privileged, and no lawsuit predicated thereon may be instituted against any person or entity supplying such communication or testimony. [Enacted effective August 1, 2008](G) Confidentiality. The files of applicants for admission and the internal proceedings of the Committee concerning an applicant for admission shall be kept confidential, except as otherwise provided in this Rule or by Order of the Court. Upon written request, the Committee may release information which would otherwise be confidential to licensing, disciplinary or law enforcement agencies of any jurisdiction, or to any person or party at the request of the applicant, provided a written authorization for release is supplied by the applicant. Disclosure may be made to the Lawyer's Assistance Program and to any other person or entity to the extent deemed necessary by the Committee for the purpose of investigating and evaluating the character and fitness of applicants. Statistical information not identified with any particular applicant and information relating to whether and when an applicant has been admitted is not confidential and may be publicized or released to any person. [Enacted effective February 1, 2014](H)Application. The confidentiality provisions of this rule shall be applicable to all proceedings filed or pending on or after February 1, 2014. Any published orders, judgments or opinions rendered by this court prior to February 1, 2014 shall remain public; however, the records of those proceedings shall be maintained under seal subject to the exceptions set forth in this rule.Enacted effective 2/1/2014