Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI? Forum

(On Campus Interviews, Summer Associate positions, Firm Reviews, Tips, ...)
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting

Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are revealing sensitive employment related information about a firm, job, etc. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.

Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Thu Oct 02, 2014 9:32 pm

So I recently accepted a biglaw SA offer. Unfortunately, over the summer I was arrested for a DUI which was plead down to a DWAI (a traffic infraction). My offer letter said my employment is contingent on a back round check. Should I just nip this now and call recruiting and tell them what happened? For the record, the firm never asked about criminal history, so I never lied.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 04, 2014 5:43 pm

Bump. Any advice?

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 04, 2014 6:23 pm

Anonymous User wrote:So I recently accepted a biglaw SA offer. Unfortunately, over the summer I was arrested for a DUI which was plead down to a DWAI (a traffic infraction). My offer letter said my employment is contingent on a back round check. Should I just nip this now and call recruiting and tell them what happened? For the record, the firm never asked about criminal history, so I never lied.

Yes, you should. I had something similar happen to me over the summer. I disclosed and they were really cool about it. Not disclosing could raise some red flags. You should also, if you haven't done so already, disclose to your school.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:01 pm

Thanks. May I ask who you disclosed to at your firm? Recruiting coordinator?

AReasonableMan

Gold
Posts: 1504
Joined: Sun Sep 21, 2014 9:32 pm

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by AReasonableMan » Sat Oct 04, 2014 7:20 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Thanks. May I ask who you disclosed to at your firm? Recruiting coordinator?
Yes

Want to continue reading?

Register now to search topics and post comments!

Absolutely FREE!


User avatar
XxSpyKEx

Gold
Posts: 1805
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:48 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by XxSpyKEx » Sat Oct 04, 2014 9:00 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:So I recently accepted a biglaw SA offer. Unfortunately, over the summer I was arrested for a DUI which was plead down to a DWAI (a traffic infraction). My offer letter said my employment is contingent on a back round check. Should I just nip this now and call recruiting and tell them what happened? For the record, the firm never asked about criminal history, so I never lied.

Yes, you should. I had something similar happen to me over the summer. I disclosed and they were really cool about it. Not disclosing could raise some red flags. You should also, if you haven't done so already, disclose to your school.
Wait, it was pled down to a traffic infraction--that's probably civil, so it shouldn't show up on a criminal background check. I think that's probably the idea of allowing people to plead down.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:10 pm

True. But the DUI arrest will show up I assume. I also assume a background check may entail getting an abstract of my driving record, which the DWAI will show on.

User avatar
2014

Platinum
Posts: 6028
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2010 3:53 pm

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by 2014 » Sun Oct 05, 2014 1:36 am

I would disclose to your school and ask them what they think is best. They have probably dealt with similar situations dozens of times while TLS is at best people with few anecdotes and is at worst people pulling things out of their asses.

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Oct 05, 2014 5:36 am

XxSpyKEx wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:So I recently accepted a biglaw SA offer. Unfortunately, over the summer I was arrested for a DUI which was plead down to a DWAI (a traffic infraction). My offer letter said my employment is contingent on a back round check. Should I just nip this now and call recruiting and tell them what happened? For the record, the firm never asked about criminal history, so I never lied.

Yes, you should. I had something similar happen to me over the summer. I disclosed and they were really cool about it. Not disclosing could raise some red flags. You should also, if you haven't done so already, disclose to your school.
Wait, it was pled down to a traffic infraction--that's probably civil, so it shouldn't show up on a criminal background check. I think that's probably the idea of allowing people to plead down.
FWIW my firm asked me to disclose all crimes for which I had been charged - not convicted - except for traffic offenses. Here, because OP was charged with a crime that was pled down to a traffic infraction, I would probably disclose it to be safe.

Want to continue reading?

Register for access!

Did I mention it was FREE ?


rdawkins28

Bronze
Posts: 133
Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:52 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by rdawkins28 » Sun Oct 05, 2014 10:00 am

FYI, In Texas you would have to report this to the State Bar. So regardless of your firm, check your State Bar.

User avatar
XxSpyKEx

Gold
Posts: 1805
Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:48 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by XxSpyKEx » Sun Oct 05, 2014 12:33 pm

Anonymous User wrote:
XxSpyKEx wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:
Anonymous User wrote:So I recently accepted a biglaw SA offer. Unfortunately, over the summer I was arrested for a DUI which was plead down to a DWAI (a traffic infraction). My offer letter said my employment is contingent on a back round check. Should I just nip this now and call recruiting and tell them what happened? For the record, the firm never asked about criminal history, so I never lied.

Yes, you should. I had something similar happen to me over the summer. I disclosed and they were really cool about it. Not disclosing could raise some red flags. You should also, if you haven't done so already, disclose to your school.
Wait, it was pled down to a traffic infraction--that's probably civil, so it shouldn't show up on a criminal background check. I think that's probably the idea of allowing people to plead down.
FWIW my firm asked me to disclose all crimes for which I had been charged - not convicted - except for traffic offenses. Here, because OP was charged with a crime that was pled down to a traffic infraction, I would probably disclose it to be safe.
That's a bit absurd, and possibly a potential lawsuit waiting to happen. I would have nonetheless disclosed if asked that question. However, I think OP's situation is a bit different in that his firm hasn't asked him to disclose traffic infractions/charged but not convicted misdemeanors, so its basically a question of whether he should go out of his way to disclose something that the firm might not ever find out about or care to find out about. (Don't private employers typically only get records of convictions and not things like arrests, nolle prosse'd charges, etc.?)

Anonymous User
Posts: 432521
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:32 am

Re: Biglaw offer. Disclose DWAI?

Post by Anonymous User » Sun Oct 05, 2014 6:50 pm

Thanks for the input guys. I think my plan right now is to disclose to my school and then go from there based on their advice.

Register now!

Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.

It's still FREE!


Post Reply Post Anonymous Reply  

Return to “Legal Employment”