I had serious disciplinary issues in law school. I am wondering whether they will impact my C&F determination.
In fall 2013, I had a manic episode and as a result I was placed on University Probation, which lasted for the academic year. In addition, the aggrieved individuals lodged a stay away order against me. Conduct in question was harassing, aggressive, belligerent behavior over the phone, email, and in person.
In May 2014, the probation was lifted. In addition, as of now, the stay away order has been lifted for all but 2 individuals.
In fall 2014, I had another manic episode. I was charged by my student conduct office with disorderly conduct, creating a community disturbance, failure to comply, and property damage. In addition, while the investigation was ongoing, I was given an interim suspension (not a sanction) and I was banned from campus by the school police. Later, my school gave me the option of doing a medical withdrawal in lieu of going thru the student conduct process and receiving a formal sanction. I am still not allowed on campus without the permission of the Dean.
During the medical withdrawal, I have been treated for bipolar disorder. I am under the care of a psychiatrist (monthly), a psychotherapist (weekly), and a bipolar support group (weekly). In addition, I am volunteering with legal aid in the interim to help show my rehabilitation. I will attempt to reenroll in law school in fall 2015, with the recommendation of my psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist, and support group leader that I am not a danger to myself or others.
I have consulted various attorneys in my state. One firm offered a $3,500 flat fee to represent me in C&F. Is that reasonable, or should I keep shopping around?
I have no idea what the prevailing rates would be in your state, not the least reason being that I have no idea which state it is. You’re probably best off comparison shopping if price is your concern. Your state may also have resources for people with bipolar or other, similar issues, which may include legal advice. They probably won’t be as helpful as a C&F lawyer, but they’d be able to help you determine price points.
That’s the kind of question you should ask a C&F lawyer. I have no idea, and even if I did I wouldn’t tell you because I am not your lawyer. Seriously, these are professional questions for a professional. That is who you need to ask.
Isn’t the bigger question whether or not these episodes will be harmful over the course of your career, and whether or not law is the right field for you?
A $3500 fee will probably get 10-15 or so hours of work done for you, after which the attention to your case will drop off. I’d talk to other lawyers and see how much time your case will actually take. Flat fees may seem favorable for the client, but they’re not: either you’re overpaying if the work takes less time than the flat fee equates to, or you won’t get good service if the work takes more than that amount of time.
My psychotherapist believes that under medication I am stable and that bipolar disorder won’y be harmful over the course of my career so long as I continue with my treatment. I believe law is the right field for me; I can’t imagine doing anything else!
You’d have to explain your gaps in law school to them. The topic will come up. They’re going to ask, and you’ll have to be fully honest. There may well be anti-discrimination statutes that provide protection from full disclosure in the event of medical issues, but the topic in general will come up.
@mattasutta, surely you know that an employer will look at your law school transcript and see big gaps in it and will ask why you took breaks from law school. Will the suspension be noted on the transcript?
Many Bar offices have support services for attorneys dealing with mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Perhaps someone in the local Bar office would be a good support resource for you as well. Best of luck.
What should I submit with my reapplication petition for law school? So far, I plan to submit evaluations from my psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist, and support group director. I also intend to submit an updated resume and letters of recommendation/support from my undergrad president, an alum of the law school, a law school professor, my employer and a friend from undergrad. I will also submit my MPRE score (passed with a 128). Anything else to show that I am stable? My parents are wiling to talk to the school’s administration about my situation (mom is a psychiatrist).
I’m not sure how much law school will care. As long as you have things in order and have the GPA/LSAT they’re looking for, law school admissions shouldn’t be too much of a concern. Work experience might also be an effective tool for proving you can keep it together with the added bonus of providing you a resume line and some spare cash.
But won’t the school care about my disciplinary history when considering my readmission? That’s what I am worried about and why I plan to submit mitigating information.
@mettasutta, yes, it is highly likely that the school will look closely at your disciplinary history when considering your readmission. I’m assuming that you’ll be reapplying to the same school where you had the issues. GPA/LSAT are certainly NOT AT ALL the sole factors that the school will look at–definitely not.