Penn alum Stephen Glass denied law license

Stephen Glass, disgraced journalist and class of 1994 College graduate, has suffered an additional fall from grace.

Yesterday, Glass, a former Daily Pennsylvanian Executive Editor, was denied a license to practice law by the Supreme Court of the State of California. The court ruled that Glass “failed to carry his heavy burden of establishing his rehabilitation and current fitness,” according to the opinion released by the State Bar of California.

While working at The New Republic during the mid 1990s, Glass published articles for this and other publications containing fabricated events, quotes and sources.

According to a 1998 Vanity Fair article by Buzz Bissinger, written after Glass was exposed, he created fake voicemails and email accounts for his alleged sources. This article was the inspiration for the 2003 movie, “Shattered Glass.”

The court emphasized that despite the numerous character witnesses who testified for Glass, it is their “duty to protect the public and maintain the integrity and high standards of the [legal] profession.”

Glass currently works as a law clerk, which requires him to be under the supervision of a licensed attorney. He and his attorney could not be reached for comment.

Related: Disgraced journalist Stephen Glass seeks law license in California

Bissinger, who is a 1976 College graduate and former DP opinion and sports editor, remembers speaking to him at the annual Daily Pennsylvanian staff banquet while Glass was a student. “[Glass] was willing to do anything to succeed,” he remembered

Bissinger is not surprised by the State Bar’s recent denial of Glass’ petition for a law license.

“I don’t know how you overcome something like that,” he said. “There are certain things in life he will really not be able to do because of what he did.”

“[But] he may have a future as a politician,” Bissinger added.

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