Comments on: The Prosecutor with Whom Chris Christie Has an “Ongoing Financial Relationship” Resigns

By: bmaz

bmaz — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:49:39 +0000

Oops, you had that up there? Missed that. I am mostly buggered up with work and have only been flitting in and out save for last night’s post. Agreed, doesn’t matter how it occurred, if NJ says she is a bar member, that is it. I’ll say this much, I might could pass other bars, but I sure as hell don’t want to take any more at this point.

By: hvdub

hvdub — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:55:15 +0000

My wrong for missing subsection f upthread @ 26

By: scribe

scribe — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:33:37 +0000

You are correct, BMAz. As I explained @30 upthread, Local Rule 101.1(f) pretty conclusively resolves the issue in her favor.

As to whether she took the bar or not - I dunno and I don’t care. The fact of the matter is, she was admitted. New Jersey is probably like just about every jurisdiction I can think of - persnickety about who they admit and making sure all their paperwork is properly filled out and organized. No one is getting over on them.

And, FWIW, as to most lawyers, once they’ve been admitted and practicing for 10 or 15 or 20 years, they probably could take a bar exam cold (i.e., without studying) and pass it.

By: bmaz

bmaz — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:11:07 +0000

Yep, that will about do it then. Thanks for finding that Scribe. However, under this provision of your local rules, I do not think she would be practicing law without a license by appearing in Federal court there as an AUSA, even without NJ bar membership:

(f) Appearance by Attorneys for the United States
An attorney admitted to practice in any United States District Court may practice before this
Court in any proceeding in which he or she is representing the United States or any of its officers
or agencies. If such attorney does not have an office in this District he or she shall designate the
United States Attorney to receive service of all notices or papers in that action. Service upon the
United States Attorney or authorized designee shall constitute service upon a government
attorney who does not have an office in this District.

By: gerryphillyesq

gerryphillyesq — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:00:14 +0000

You missed my point. There is a cloud over Christie because of his financial arrangement with this particular US Attorney. Does his special relationship to this employee extend to giving her time to prepare for the New Jersey bar exam so that she would be able to continue to practice law in New Jersey after leaving the US Attorney’s office? What is their relationship and does how does it reflect on his character and qualifications to be Governor? If you’re running an anti-corruption theme in your campaign you need to be above reproach yourself.

By: scribe

scribe — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:54:01 +0000

It matters not where or how she got the time to prepare for the bar exam, whether she was able to waive in or get admitted on motion or not.

The fact is: the one issue presented is whether or not she is admitted in New Jersey and currently active.

The Lawyer’s Diary list says she is. That list is both official and authoritative. That ends the discussion as far as I am concerned.

Next issue.

By: scribe

scribe — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:52:02 +0000

There is one official list of attorneys admitted in New Jersey, and it ain’t Martindell-Hubble. Martindell-Hubble is, at its core, a backhanded way of lawyers advertising holding over from the days (which ended in the 70s and 80s) when it was illegal for lawyers to advertise. You pay to be included in Martindell-Hubble.

The official list is contained in a publication called the “New Jersey Lawyer’s Diary and Manual”. It’s published annually. You can buy one for around a hundred bucks.

Any other list is not official and is not cognized as “reliable” by anyone.

The official list for 2009 says she was admitted in 2007 and is active.

That ends the discussion.

By: maryo2

maryo2 — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:50:57 +0000

Thanks for finding the information on Michele Brown.

By: gerryphillyesq

gerryphillyesq — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:27:25 +0000

Thanks again. My concern is not about her being unlicensed and practicing. But knowing that New Jersey won’t permit a lawyer to waive into the jurisdiction the question becomes one of how did she find the time to prepare for the New Jersey bar exam while working for the US attorney’s office. The bar exam is no walk in the park. Preparation requires study and practice and usually a bar prep course. Did she take vacation time? Was she granted a leave by her boss (Christie)? If she was granted a leave, was she treated in any way differently from other employees of the US Attorney’s Office who were similarly situated?

By: Citizen92

Citizen92 — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:25:36 +0000

Scribe, thanks for clearing that up. Never intended to waste anyone’s time, just a question from a non-lawyer.

The source for the original info was Martindale-Hubbell online. Martindale-Hubbell records (obtained via LexisNexis today) still show Ms. Brown as admitted CA but not admitted NJ. In fact, the online notation actually says … “(not admitted New Jersey).”

Here are the February 2007 NJ Bar results successful candidates. Ms. Brown is not among them.

(The list for the July 2007 results is unfortunately not available through the Wayback Machine).