This page concerns two common types of forms that the Pre-Law Advising Office handles: dean's letters, for current applicants to law schools; and bar certifications, for law school graduates applying for admission to the bar.
Dean's Letters
Some law schools require that applicants submit dean's letters (also called dean's certifications, college certifications, etc.) at some point during the application process--typically either when an applicant discloses a violation on the character and fitness portion of the application (see below); or when an admitted applicant chooses to matriculate at the law school. The primary purpose of these forms is to request that an applicant's undergraduate institution provide relevant details about that applicant's academic and disciplinary records.
Though these letters are often referred to as "dean's" letters, the Pre-Law Advisor is responsible for completing them on behalf of the university. Please do not send them to any of the Dean's Offices or to the Registrar. If you have a dean's letter form that you would like to have completed, please submit it either in hard copy to the Pre-Law Advising Office or electronically at prelaw@binghamton.edu, along with the following additional documentation:
- Please complete this release of information form and return it to the Pre-Law Advising Office, either electronically or in hard copy.
- Please complete to receive a copy of your student conduct report. Please then forward that report to the Pre-Law Advisor (prelaw@binghamton.edu).
- If it is not already included on the dean's letter form, please provide an address, electronic or mailing, where you would like the form sent.
Please allow 1-2 weeks for the processing of dean's letter forms.
Bar Certifications
Some state boards of bar examiners or bar committees require that each of an applicant's academic institutions complete a certification form. While these forms vary considerably between jurisdictions, they all typically include questions related to academic performance and character and fitness (see below).
The Pre-Law Advisor is responsible for completing these forms on behalf of the university. Please do not send them to any of the Dean's Offices or to the Registrar. If you would like to have a bar certification form completed, please submit it either in hard copy to the Pre-Law Advising Office or electronically at prelaw@binghamton.edu, along with the following additional documentation:
- Please complete this release of information form and return it to the Pre-Law Advising Office, either electronically or in hard copy.
- Please complete to receive a copy of your student conduct report. Please then forward that report to the Pre-Law Advisor (prelaw@binghamton.edu).
- If it is not already included on the certification form, please provide an address, electronic or mailing, where you would like the form sent.
Please allow 1-2 weeks for the processing of bar certification forms.
A note about character and fitness:
Law school applications and bar applications typically include questions related to "character and fitness"--that is, having to do with any disciplinary violations an applicant may have incurred while in college (including academic honesty violations), as well as any prior criminal charges or convictions. The wording of these questions varies from school to school and among jurisdictions, but all are seeking a complete and honest statement of an applicant's record. Not all violations will prevent an applicant from attending law school or pursuing a legal career; law schools and bar associations are most concerned with serious lapses in judgment or patterns of concerning behavior. Nonetheless, applicants are strongly advised to disclose everything that may be relevant within the scope of the questions posed, including any records that have been sealed or were expunged. Failure to disclose, even for violations that might not by themselves be disqualifying, can result in serious consequences, including revocation of an offer of admission, expulsion from law school, denial of bar admission, or disbarment.
The Pre-Law Advisor is available to discuss issues related to character and fitness and can advise on how best to proceed with disclosures.