You'll need to check with the laws of your state.  Many states have laws in place which prohibit attorneys from being able to practice if they've been convicted of various laws.  I know that in some states these convictions include "morality crimes".

It won't affect your ability to take the exam, but it may very well affect your ability to become a lawyer.  This is because passing the bar exam is only one of several requirements new lawyers must meet.

Part of the process of being admitted to the bar in California (and probably in most other states) is a background check to certify your moral fitness.  Part of what the bar looks for is evidence of convictions of violent felonies, felonies involving moral turpitude or crimes involving breaches of fiduciary duty.  Prostitution is considered a crime of moral turpitude but it is a misdemeanor and not a felony, so it may not be part of what the background check searches for.  Then again, if the information comes to the attention of the bar they are not likely to overlook it.

Merely being arrested is not the same thing as a conviction and, as I said, a misdemeanor is not the same thing as a felony.  I honestly don't know whether a mere arrest is likely to get the bar's attention, but a mere arrest is likely to generate a paper trail whether there is a conviction or not and a paper trail can be found.  There is a real risk here.

The bar can -- and often does -- find that an applicant with a criminal record has been rehabilitated, and these people are approved.  Rehabilitation takes time, though, and it requires exemplary conduct rather than a mere showing that there have been no further blemishes on the applicant's record.

The moral character evaluation usually is done while the would-be lawyer is in law school.  It normally takes several months and is completed well before the bar exam.

I have attached a link to the bar's web page describing this process.

As do most new lawyers and aspirants thereto, you are asking the wrong question.  Taking the Bar exam is not conditioned upon your police record; being accepted by the Bar as a person of fit character is dependent on  your record.  Are you familiar with the character check?  If not, go to the State Bar site and check the requirements for admittance.

I believe, without absolute certainty, that a single misdemeanor is not sufficiently grave to preclude your acceptance.  Do not commit any felonies however.  That, I believe crosses the bar - pun intended.

Re:Question about the BAR/ law school

Why would the Calif. Bar discriminate against an attorney who has fucked her client?  It happens every day .  Seriously, since if you were caught (the 1st time), it would end up with a "disturbing the peace" arrest/plea/conviction, and  you would explain that you needed money to do XXXX, or it was just a immature act which would never happen again, and you could probably obtain character references from about a dozen former clients who are attorneys, judges, clergy, etc. who will attest to your good oral, I mean moral skills, strike that, good morals, you have nothing to worry about!

Good luck
PS  Just make sure you study for your LSAT and go to a top 20 law school, the Bar looks the other way to grads from the better law schools.

Being a whore is not any disqualifier to be a lawyer, in fact it is a job requirement.  However, getting convicted of it demonstrates a lack of compentence.  You will also need to switch from being the fuckee to the fucker.

Don't sweat it.  I've seen folks worrying about unpaid parking tickets, even too many overdue library books. Nothing like having a pending admission to the bar to get that long overdue  conscience (sp) working.


A single prostitution conviction should not be a problem. A rap sheet full of such convictions might be one.  Inb general, though, even crimes of dishonesty-larceny, fraud, perjury-- the most likely crimes to thwart your  lawyerly ambitions (no sniggers here,  please)--  usually won't  prevent you from bar  if you are up front about your convictions when asked.  ( Anyway, They're likely to know about your convictions even if you don't tell them.)

So don't worry about it. Apply to law school. If your application asks if you've  been convicted of a crime, admit it; morere folks have been denied amdmission for lying about their past than by anything that they actually did.

Likewise, fess up to your conviction when applying for the bar exam, or for admission to the bar. The offense may be a pecadillo, but lying about it is not, at least to your bar ethics committee.

BTW, you need never  acknowldege a mere arrest if you've not been convicted, or if you've been treated as a YO (Youthful Offender) after a conviction.

Before spending tens of thousands of dollars on law school, call the state bar and discuss your situation.  In my early 20's I was convicted of a DUI within a few months of a "noise violation" conviction.  I had also been involved in a narcotics bust, but I was released a day later when the real targets verified that I was in custody for basically being in the wrong place at the wrong time. When I hit 30, I decided I wanted to pursue a law degree, but I didn't want to incur the expense if it was unlikely I would be cleared to practice.  In CA you can ask the bar to "pre-screen" your moral character if you have concerns, or at least you could 10 years ago (the bar went through a major overhaul due to financial problems during Pete Wilson's administration, so it is possible this service is no longer offered.)  The pre-screening is not the same as the full moarl character assessment, but you disclose your potential trouble spots and are told whether there are likely problems when it comes to being admitted.

May I ask you a question? Do you think that you are ready to be an attorney if you knowingly break the law?

Beofre you answer that why don't you give it some thought. Don't try and look for moral reasons why prostitution should not be against the law. I believe that it shouldn't be but it is and as an attorney you will be an officer of the court and the law will be your bible, so to speak.