Because of the high ethical standards to which lawyers are held, legal employers require full disclosure of information that may prevent you from obtaining a law license, and any information that may be revealed through a background investigation. When you are hired as a student for a summer clerkship, a legal employer is investing in you as a potential permanent hire for their law firm or organization. Thus, failure to fully disclose information may result in disciplinary action, revocation of an offer of employment, or denial of permission to practice law by the state in which you seek admission to the bar. Applications to take state bar examinations ask similar questions and, accordingly, we strongly urge you to fully disclose all incidents. If there is any question regarding whether you should fully disclose something, you should err on the side of disclosure. It is also your responsibility to update your information by notifying the LSU Law Career Services Office if any disciplinary or criminal charges are filed or are expected to be filed against you while you are enrolled as a law student at LSU.
By checking the box, you affirm that if your answer to any of the following questions is “YES,” you agree to submit a full statement of relevant facts for all incidents to the Career Services Office referencing the current status or final disposition of all proceedings. Failure to submit relevant information and documentation may prohibit you from participating in on-campus interview programs and utilizing other Career Services Office resources for your job search.
Have you ever been detained for, arrested for, cited for, charged with, convicted of, plead guilty or nolo contendere to any crime, offense, or other violation of any law?
You are required to report all incidents, regardless of how minor (except for parking violations, provided they are few in number); regardless of whether you were a juvenile or an adult at the time of incident; regardless of whether the case against you was dismissed or was otherwise disposed of in some manner other than by a conviction (e.g., by your participation in a “diversion” program); regardless of whether the record of the incident was sealed, expunged, or otherwise removed from the public records; and regardless of whether you were advised that you are not required to disclose the incident. If you are not sure about the nature or the disposition of a particular charge, you must make a diligent effort to discover it and, having done that, report the results of your effort.
Are there any criminal charges pending or expected to be brought against you?
You must report all charges, regardless of how minor; regardless of whether you were a juvenile or an adult at the time of the incident that gave rise to the charges; and regardless of whether you were advised that you would not be required to disclose the incident.
As a member of any profession or professional organization, have you ever been disciplined for unethical conduct?
You must report all incidents regardless of how minor; regardless of whether the record of the incident has been sealed, expunged, or otherwise removed from the organization’s records; and regardless of whether you were advised that you would not be required to disclose the incident.
Have you ever been separated from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces under less than honorable conditions?
If you have been separated from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces under less than honorable conditions, explain the circumstances.