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A little while back I did something really stupid -- shoplifting. I cooperated with local authorities, but it's on my record. Of course I'll disclose it when I apply to law firms. Does anyone have experience/know how a Big Law firm will handle this kind of criminal record? When I disclose it on the background check, will I be shown the door just like that? Or might they be willing to listen to the backstory and allow me to work there?

What is "a little while back" ?

Almost 100% chance this is a dealbreaker. I did laugh when I read your poast so thanks for that.

I think you should be fine. As long as you can pass the bar C&F it shouldn’t be an impediment. I don’t think it’s a 100% dealbreaker.

Is a little while back in law school, though?

Have a friend who got caught shoplifting a cell phone case from Walmart in 2014. Passed C&F and was admitted in 2017. Currently at a reputable V100 firm.

I'm a 0L so take the anecdote w/ a grain of salt but just wanted to stop in and let you know I don't think you're going to get dinged just for that.

Good luck!

Others have honed in on the important questions. How long ago was this and what age were you? An incident several years ago, particularly if you were a minor at the time is much more likely to be bypassed than one when you had completed college or were in law school. Obviously value could be important too - Petit Larceny might be less concerning to an employer than Grand Larceny.

If the circumstances are right, it's probably not a dealbreaker. When can you complete C&F in your state? It might be helpful if you could complete it in advance so that potential employers are not worried about you failing C&F and not being admitted.

albanach wrote:Others have honed in on the important questions. How long ago was this and what age were you? An incident several years ago, particularly if you were a minor at the time is much more likely to be bypassed than one when you had completed college or were in law school. Obviously value could be important too - Petit Larceny might be less concerning to an employer than Grand Larceny.

If the circumstances are right, it's probably not a dealbreaker. When can you complete C&F in your state? It might be helpful if you could complete it in advance so that potential employers are not worried about you failing C&F and not being admitted.

Unfortunately it was pretty recent, a few months ago. My circumstances are a little unusual, because I had already graduated from law school, taken and passed the bar, and am admitted to the state bar before all of this happened. For family reasons, I had to put my career on hold for a few months. And then this occurred. Now I'm hoping to go back to a law firm in New York.

Out of curiosity, did it end up working out for you?