Diane Karpman, in her Ethics Byte column, looks at the admissions controversies surrounding Sergio Garcia and Stephen Glass, both of which will be decided the Supreme Court of California. As many of our readers know, Garcia arrived illegally in the United States but has lived here a long time and has met all the requirements for admission -- except, perhaps, his status as legal resident and his ability to be lawfully employed. The DOJ has argued that Garcia should not be given a law licence.
Glass is a former journalist who lied and committed serial plagiarisn.
Karpman offers these thoughts: "Both of these applicants could make tremendous contributions to the profession. Garcia involves macro issues involving immigration policy, and (in my opinion) is a civil rights matter. Glass involves micro issues of personal redemption, which we hope is available to everyone."
A belief in redemption doesn't equate to membership in the bar, with fiduciary obligations to members of the public who will probably be unaware of the lawyer's former dishonesty.
Posted by: Monroe Freedman@hofstra.edu | August 16, 2012 at 08:28 AM