A would-be New York lawyer with $430,000 in “delinquent” student loans dating back to 1985 has been denied admission to the Bar by the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division. “Anonymous” claimed “good faith intensions” to pay them back, and attributed his nonpayment to the downturn in the economy and bad faith negotiations on the part of some of the loan servicers. According to the ruling [ LINK: http://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/Decisions/2009/D-11-09Anonymous.pdf], the “applicant” has not made and substantial payments on the loans. “He has not been flexible in his discussions with the loan servicers.” The court ruled that the applicant “has not presently established the character and general fitness requisite for an attorney and counselor-at-law”. 

House of Lords judge takes new post as door tenant

Retiring law lord Lord Hoffmann is to join Brick Court Chambers as a door tenant. UK magazine The Lawyer reports that Hoffman, who is due to retire from the House of Lords this month, will be an arbitrator and is looking at mediation work. Brick Court senior clerk Ian Moyler is obviously pleased with his new recruit, noting he is “undoubtedly one of the most revered judges of recent times”.

Washington judge in prostitute trouble

A Washington judge has taken a leave of absence after being charge both criminally and by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct over his alleged activities with male prostitutes among other things. The 58-year-old judge denies wrongdoing and “is hoping and anticipating that he’ll be exonerated at the end of all of this”, his attorney Wayne Fricke said. The Seattle Times reports the state attorney general’s office says the judge threatened to kill a prostitute on 30 August last year, not long after he was elected to the bench.  

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