The Florida International University College of Law Admissions Committee seeks to enroll a diverse group of students who have demonstrated academic and personal achievement. FIU Law wishes to advance the intellectual growth of its students as well as their development of skills and values useful to the ethical, professional, and effective practice of law.
A prospective student’s academic record (undergrad GPA and LSAT score) weighs heavily in the evaluative process. In addition to these academic markers, the Admissions Committee also considers other factors, including leadership ability, commitment to public service, command of global issues, work history, military service, and any history of criminality or academic misconduct. Evidence of obstacles that an applicant may have overcome (English is not the applicant’s native language, discrimination, economic or family hardship, severe medical condition) are also considered. The Admissions Committee encourages each applicant to answer all questions candidly and with specificity.
Character and Fitness to Practice
At FIU Law, every effort is made to admit students of high moral character. FIU Law reserves the right to question an applicant concerning the applicant’s prior record and conduct, insofar as it may be relevant to the character of the applicant.
As provided by American Bar Association’s Standard for Character and Fitness Section 504(a), applicants to FIU Law should understand that there are character and fitness qualifications for admissions to the bar. Applicants are encouraged to review the qualifications and requirements in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to practice. The Florida Board of Bar Examiners conducts a rigorous background investigation of all bar applicants to determine their character and fitness to practice law.
You are strongly encouraged to fully disclose – to both FIU Law and to the state bar for which you are applying – any incident(s) which may have a bearing on your eligibility for admission into the College of Law or a state bar respectively. The failure to disclose any incident that may reasonably be deemed to reflect on an applicant’s character and fitness to practice law may be viewed by both the Florida Board of Bar Examiners and FIU Law as a serious omission. Such omissions may be treated as a lack of candor on the part of the applicant, and may result in your application being rejected buy FIU Law, or exclusions from the Florida Bar and other state bars.