The two biggest factors considered in law school admissions are grade-point average, or GPA, and scores on the Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT. Many schools have a formula that combine these scores to rank applicants. If these aspects of your application are good, bad credit will not hinder your application at all.
Bad credit will, however, affect your ability to attend law school once you are accepted. Law school can be expensive, and most students need to take out student loans to pay for it. Bad credit will affect your ability to secure these loans on your own. If you do not have a suitable co-signer, it is suggested that you defer admission for a year to raise your credit score.
Following graduation, lawyers who intend to practice law must apply to take and pass the bar examination in the state they intend to practice. Some states have criteria that must be met before the exam may be taken. For example, the State Bar of California requires that applicants meet certain "moral character" factors. This includes failing to make payments or meeting other financial duties. Age and circumstances are taken into account, but bad credit can impact your ability to sit for the bar.