Would Law Schools Ask to Disclose This Info??? Forum

[bmercado]

I would rather hear "you're fucked" now, than hear it 4 years from now when I'm trying to get admitted to the bar. I imagine you'll be fine, but I would pay to find up front before dropping enough for a mortgage.

you're right. The only problem is that im having a very hard time finding an attorney that specializes in character and fitness here in southern california. I went on the state bar website and saw that you can write the office of admissions if any questions or concerns. Is this an avenue that I should explore?

[TommyK]

I would rather hear "you're fucked" now, than hear it 4 years from now when I'm trying to get admitted to the bar. I imagine you'll be fine, but I would pay to find up front before dropping enough for a mortgage.

you're right. The only problem is that im having a very hard time finding an attorney that specializes in character and fitness here in southern california. I went on the state bar website and saw that you can write the office of admissions if any questions or concerns. Is this an avenue that I should explore?

I have trust issues... Maybe it's that my mom didn't hold me enough as a child, but I wouldn't trust such an issue to an admissions department.

[northwood]

Im not being evasive, im just worried about hearing the worst possible scenario, "you're effed." But youre right I should consult a professional who has more knowledge about this. Thanks[/quote]


you are being evasive. And you are in denial about it! You know that what happened in the past may have closed the legal profession door on you. WHy spend more time and energy preparing for the career if you cant even utilize the degree.

[northwood]

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[northwood]

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[northwood]

sorry.. computer froze

[Knock]

sorry.. computer froze

Triple post and quote fail, well done .

Hit the little X in the bottom right corner of your post and you should be able to delete a couple of them.

[GettingReady2010]

If the story is the way you say it is, your friend is a terrible person. Obviously, you made a big mistake by not telling your friend "hell no," but your friend still shouldn't have involved you in his mess. I wish there was some sort of legal action you could take against him, but I have no idea.

[legalease9]

The charges were dismissed, but you still had to do community service?? Aim for schools that only ask about convictions, I guess. Otherwise, just cop to it all, acknowledge your mistakes, own them, and roll the dice. Your law school dream's not over. Good luck.

I'm confused about this too. Aren't you only required to do community service if you're convicted of a crime? And if the charges are dropped, doesn't that mean that you weren't convicted?

I don't think you should worry too much about your admission to the bar just yet, considering you haven't even gotten in to law school. I also I don't think you should place too much weight on others who may have had "worse" records who were still admitted. Everyone's situation is different. Just disclose, as others in this thread have said. When you do, I wouldn't approach it in the manner you approached this posting. Cut out the excuses. Cut out the irrelevant I'm-a-modern-day-martyr details (EG, "I was on my UG campus studying"), and just explain what happened as concisely and honestly as possible.

There is a process in some states called "diversion." You do community service or some other penance for your actions, but you aren't technically "charged" or "convicted with a crime. Usually limited to minors though.

[bmercado]

im just trying to figure out who I should ask before having to consult an attorney. I know that an attorney who specializes in c&f is the best bet, but i know that it will be expensive. what about legal clinics at the law school from my UG? maybe they can advise me or refer me? how about the dean of admissions from the law school at my UG? If anyone has any ideas please chime in...

[Knock]

im just trying to figure out who I should ask before having to consult an attorney. I know that an attorney who specializes in c&f is the best bet, but i know that it will be expensive. what about legal clinics at the law school from my UG? maybe they can advise me or refer me? how about the dean of admissions from the law school at my UG? If anyone has any ideas please chime in...

I'd personally go with that one. Or anyone on the admissions committee really.

[TommyK]

im just trying to figure out who I should ask before having to consult an attorney. I know that an attorney who specializes in c&f is the best bet, but i know that it will be expensive. what about legal clinics at the law school from my UG? maybe they can advise me or refer me? how about the dean of admissions from the law school at my UG? If anyone has any ideas please chime in...

I'd personally go with that one. Or anyone on the admissions committee really.

I'm not sure it would be that expensive to consult the attorney. I would suggest calling one up, shopping them on price. What could it possibly cost? $1k? I can't imagine they would be doing much work on it*. Pittance compared to $100k in debt, and the $250k you would actually pay including interest in the lifetime of the loan.


*Again, full disclosure - as with all my posts, I know essentially nothing. Consult competent counsel.

[ScaredWorkedBored]

I don't think you should worry too much about your admission to the bar just yet, considering you haven't even gotten in to law school.

It's largely the same question because the two C&F addenda had better say exactly the same thing. The bar reads your law school application, especially any "I've done bad things" addenda. Whether you can be admitted to the bar is also the much more important question. The goal here isn't to get into law school.

"The goal is not to get into law school" should honestly be stickied as an answer to all "Hey, what about doing this unethical/evasive non-disclosure or affirmative lie to get admitted?"

[bmercado]

I don't think you should worry too much about your admission to the bar just yet, considering you haven't even gotten in to law school.

It's largely the same question because the two C&F addenda had better say exactly the same thing. The bar reads your law school application, especially any "I've done bad things" addenda. Whether you can be admitted to the bar is also the much more important question. The goal here isn't to get into law school.

"The goal is not to get into law school" should honestly be stickied as an answer to all "Hey, what about doing this unethical/evasive non-disclosure or affirmative lie to get admitted?"

So, what I got from this is that I should be more worried about being admitted into the bar, rather than individual schools. However, there has to be extreme consistency between the legal information I disclose on the law school application and the c&f form on the bar so that it does not seem as if i am trying to be evasive or lacking candor.

My follow up to this would be:
Say I write the addendum explaining my legal situation. Am I supposed to be very candid and straight forward, stating only the facts of what happened and owning up to what I did? Or should I state the aforementioned but add how I learned from that experience and how it shaped my character in a more positive way?

[MrKappus]

There is a process in some states called "diversion." You do community service or some other penance for your actions, but you aren't technically "charged" or "convicted with a crime. Usually limited to minors though.

Ah. I had thought of that (or maybe some other kind of deferred prosecution deal), but I had only heard of it used for (1) minors, or (2) first-time drug/alcohol offenses. I had never heard of diversion programs for the kinds of felonies that OP listed in one of his/her posts. Also, I'd always thought the "divertee" was simply avoiding a guilty plea/conviction, but that he/she was "charged." Oh well, I learn something new everyday.

[cartercl]

I don't think you should worry too much about your admission to the bar just yet, considering you haven't even gotten in to law school.

It's largely the same question because the two C&F addenda had better say exactly the same thing. The bar reads your law school application, especially any "I've done bad things" addenda. Whether you can be admitted to the bar is also the much more important question. The goal here isn't to get into law school.

"The goal is not to get into law school" should honestly be stickied as an answer to all "Hey, what about doing this unethical/evasive non-disclosure or affirmative lie to get admitted?"

So, what I got from this is that I should be more worried about being admitted into the bar, rather than individual schools. However, there has to be extreme consistency between the legal information I disclose on the law school application and the c&f form on the bar so that it does not seem as if i am trying to be evasive or lacking candor.

My follow up to this would be:
Say I write the addendum explaining my legal situation. Am I supposed to be very candid and straight forward, stating only the facts of what happened and owning up to what I did? Or should I state the aforementioned but add how I learned from that experience and how it shaped my character in a more positive way?

I don't think you're following here. This (the bold) is exactly the problem. The very nature of your offense demonstrates that you lack candor and, unfortunately, it's the type that professionals (especially legal professionals) tend not to forgive or forget. You've already been given the best advice which is to consult an attorney and/or wait a few years to put some distance between the incident and law school.

However, if you insist on going to law school without taking some time to mature or finding out if you'll be wasting 3 yrs. and $100,000+ then yes, write a good addendum. I would normally say just state the facts and own up to your mistake. But... you have a lot of explaining to do, so I'd say definitely discuss what you've learned from this whole ordeal.

[Mr_Palsgraf]

If you plea, that means you plead GUILTY in order to receive a deal from the State of a lighter sentence. Sounds like you've been found guilty of a crime, plead guilty in fact, and need to disclose it as such.

When in doubt, disclose and hope for the best.

[Moxie]

Know someone who faced a similar situation before their cycle a few years ago (was charged with a felony but eventually the charges were dropped in exchange for accepting probation). They met with a lawyer, and were able to ensure their problem would not harm them for the bar's C&F.

So I second the advice in this thread to get legal advice before making a $150,000+ investment, and then act accordingly. Hope it all works out.

[bilbobaggins]

Disclose the situation when you apply. Ignore the TLS moralists. Consult the dean of the UG law school. This is likely not serious enough to keep you from passing the bar, but if you really want to know, call an attorney who is respected in your area, or who you know through family and ask for a reference to a C&F lawyer. Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

[bmercado]

Disclose the situation when you apply. Ignore the TLS moralists. Consult the dean of the UG law school. This is likely not serious enough to keep you from passing the bar, but if you really want to know, call an attorney who is respected in your area, or who you know through family and ask for a reference to a C&F lawyer. Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

Thanks for your post. I think your response has been one of the most positive and reassuring of all. I think that im going to explore all of the avenues that you recommended.

[Kohinoor]

Disclose the situation when you apply. Ignore the TLS moralists. Consult the dean of the UG law school. This is likely not serious enough to keep you from passing the bar, but if you really want to know, call an attorney who is respected in your area, or who you know through family and ask for a reference to a C&F lawyer. Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

Almost no lawyer will give this sort of legal advice over the phone for free. I'd imagine that the lawyer would insist on a meeting and the gathering of all pertinent information in order to get paid and avoid committing malpractice.

[ScaredWorkedBored]

Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

Oy. Please at least take Professional Responsibilities before shooting off mouth.

[bilbobaggins]

Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

Oy. Please at least take Professional Responsibilities before shooting off mouth.

I sit in an office and hear it done every day. We're not talking "x is sure to happen based on y" sorts of advice, but a general sense of the situation. Maybe you should get some more experience working with individual clients before "shooting off mouth?"

[ScaredWorkedBored]

Almost no lawyer will charge you for a single phone call. A C&F attorney will likely assuage your fears.

Oy. Please at least take Professional Responsibilities before shooting off mouth.

I sit in an office and hear it done every day. We're not talking "x is sure to happen based on y" sorts of advice, but a general sense of the situation. Maybe you should get some more experience working with individual clients before "shooting off mouth?"

Riiiiiight. Your firm commonly dispenses legal advice on complex factual situations with life-altering financial and professional consequences for free in initial telephone calls. Uh-huh.

[romothesavior]

1. Consult a lawyer (if you know one well, go to them and get their take fo' FREE)
2. Consult the schools to see how serious this is
3. Pray to Zeus

I would have thought this would be a serious flag in your C&F (I mean, you straight up lied in an investigation... how much more serious of a character issue could we have when we are talking about joining the legal profession?), but Moxie's example makes it sound like it is doable.

Good luck.