Law School and the Law

[astewart35]

So I am finishing up my applications to all my law school applications. I have been ticketed for underage drinking twice and once for public intoxication. Is this addendum worthy, will this hurt my entrance to a lot of schools, and how else should I address this? Thanks for the advice.

[Adam Tyson]

First and foremost, astewart35, you must disclose fully and honestly. When in doubt, include it. You'll be asked about it again on your Bar application, and any discrepancies will be noted and could prevent your admission to the Bar on grounds of integrity problems (yes, they do compare what you said on your law school app to your Bar app - a colleague of mine spent a few days on the hot seat for a similar omission before they gave him a pass).

Second, these types of infractions are not enough to keep you out of any law school, so long as you are forthright about them. You should address them in an addendum, and be prepared to say what you learned from the experience and how you have changed. I'll be frank here - drinking and drug addiction are a major concern for the Bar, as they, along with gambling addiction, are among the top reasons for attorneys getting disbarred. Usually it's an indirect cause - the attorney has an addiction, they run out of money, they spend client funds from their trust account on their addiction, and boom - that's the cardinal sin right there that leads to disbarment almost without exception. If you have a problem, you need to get help for it and acknowledge that you are getting that help. If they suspect that you are not being completely honest and not tackling any problems head on, you could have more trouble than someone with even violent crimes in their background.

In short, disclose and explain. Anything less is risking being denied entrance to the Bar and your entire legal education being wasted. There is no substitute for complete honesty, especially when entering a profession that values integrity and ethics as core principles. Despite all the lawyer jokes, we do take ethics that seriously.

Now don't worry! Just get it out there and deal with it. Sunshine is the best disinfectant, as they say. Good luck!