However, the state's committee of bar examiners has waged a seven-year campaign to keep him out, a legal tussle that on Wednesday reached the state's supreme court.

Attorneys argued over whether Glass, 41, had reformed and whether he can be trusted, questions that have polarised opinion.

In a previous written submission, bar examiners said his apologies, explanations and multiple therapy sessions did not suffice and that his conduct "has not been exemplary when balanced against the magnitude of his acts of deceit". They accused him of committing "one of the greatest journalistic frauds in history" and said he lacked the "positive moral character" to become a lawyer.

Glass's submission responded with 22 character witnesses, including four law professors, two judges and 10 attorneys, who said the reporter depicted in the film was now a mature and honest man.

Paul Zuckerman, the managing partner of a Beverly Hills law firm, said in a previous submission that he had learned to trust Glass since hiring him as a paralegal. "When I first hired him, there was no way I was giving him my social security number and my mother's maiden name," he said. "He can have that today."

The whiz-kid reporter who wrote bogus stories for the , and other publications had been chastened by exposure and shame, he said.

"I've always found brilliance untempered by failure is purely arrogance, but brilliance that has overcome failure can be truly useful to your fellow man," Zuckerman said.

After his exposure, Glass obtained a law degree from Georgetown University, but withdrew an application for the New York state bar in 2003 after it became clear they would not let him join.

A ruling in California is expected within three months.