The Bowen Approach to Admissions—Disclose! Disclose! Disclose!

Many people apply to law school with blemishes on their records: arrests, criminal convictions, incidences of academic misconduct, etc. Some of these applicants will grapple with deciding how much information, if any, about these blemishes to disclose to law schools. Well, let me go on the record now as saying, if you are unsure of how much to disclose in your application, always err on the side of too much.

At Bowen, we understand that people make mistakes in judgment—we’re all human. Thus, a blemish on your record—whether it be criminal or academic in nature—does not automatically disqualify you from admission. All factors surrounding the incident—including seriousness, lapse of time, and forthrightness—will be considered. So when responding to our application question about such matters, do so with full candor. Tell us what happened. Provide us with relevant documentation (e.g. court documents). Be upfront. Insufficient explanations, even of minor offenses, can lead to denial of admission. And if we uncover the existence of an incident that you failed to disclose, your integrity will surely be called into question.

As an aspiring lawyer, you are “on the clock,” meaning your behavior from henceforth will be held to a higher standard. When state bars perform their exhaustive background checks on applicants for bar admission, they will compare information they uncover with disclosures on your law school application. So even if your law school doesn’t catch a non-disclosure, there is a good chance the bar will. And if you are found to have willfully misled your law school, you could possibly have your bar application denied and conferral of your hard earned degree withdrawn.

The old political adage that “It’s not the crime that kills you; it’s the cover-up” holds true in the legal profession as well. And there are many people who have seen dreams dashed, money wasted, and time squandered over attempts to hide venial transgressions. Don’t let that be you. Don’t let a youthful indiscretion mushroom in something much more serious.

Disclose! Disclose! Disclose!