Committee on Character and Fitness

The Committee on Character and Fitness (Committee) determines the moral fitness of bar applicants, with support of the Bar Administrator, by scrutinizing the applicant’s finances, legal training, and criminal records, if any.  The Committee conducts mandatory in-person personal interviews with all the applicants and, if further review is warranted following the interview, the Committee will conduct a full hearing and make recommendations to the Supreme Court as to whether an applicant should be admitted to the bar. The Supreme Court may either grant the applicant’s request or require the applicant to show cause why the Court should not grant the request. 

The Committee has seven (7) members and is appointed by the Supreme Court.  The members include one (1) member of the Rhode Island Board of Bar Examiners, the Attorney General or designee, the Clerk of the Supreme Court, and four (4) members of the Rhode Island Bar.

Members serve for three (3) years and have a two (2) term limit.  However, the Clerk of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General or designee serve as members on the Committee while the individual serves in the foregoing positions.


Members

​Gerald J. Coyne, Esquire, Chair
Thomas M. Dickinson, Esquire, Vice-Chair
Hamza Chaudary, Esquire
Cassandra L. Feeney, Esquire
Megan Maciasz DiSanto, Esquire
Adi Goldstein, Esquire
​​Meredith Benoit, Esquire
​Chrisanne Wyrzykowski, Esquire, Legal Counsel
Nancy R. Mahoney, Bar Administrator​​

 Contact

Rhode Island Supreme Court
Clerk’s Office
Licht Judicial Complex
250 Benefit Street, 7th Floor
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
(401) 222-327​2 telephone
(401) 222-3599 facsimile

If applicants experience technical problems submitting filings through the Rhode Island Supreme Court Attorney Portal (RISCAP), please call this toll-free number at 1-833-307-2324 or email support at support@odysseyguideandfile.zendesk.com and explain the difficulties you are having with the RISCAP system.​​​​​​