LSAC Misconduct for Letter of Recommendation

[one4theteam]

If anything, I think Nola should get out of this how to show he/she can suck up to a mistake and leave it at that.  Two things bother me:

1)  A lot of justification going on here.  Like someone said, Nola isn't the first and won't be the last person to encounter problems with a letter of rec.  The whole "deadline was coming" approach sounds like an excuse.  If for whatever reason this topic ever comes up in an interview, I'd skip that approach.  Attorneys hate excuses.

2)  Attorneys also aren't too fond of people who can't get things done.  "I was afraid to nag him" = I was afraid to ask him to take care of business.  Goodness, if you can't get things moving on your own law school application how are you expected to get opposing counsel or a judge to get things done for your client.  Or even get your client or your partner in your firm to get things done for your client?

Consensus is, one big screw up.  My advice is to own up to it.  Excuses and justidifications work when you're 12.  I think you'll be able to spin this one better if you take a more age-appropriate approach.

[EarlCat]

You could be spending three years of your life, working like a dog, come out with a mountain of debt and fail to pass the bar. From what I have read on this forum, even the smallest of fabrications on law app seem to haunt ppl years down the line when it comes to passing the bar. Your situation is obviously much more serious with clear intent so do you want to take on that risk?

OP, judgments of your actions aside, this is probably the most important response to your post.  If you even get into law school, you need to contact the ABA and determine whether, in the absence any other kind of misconduct, you will be eligible to sit for the bar.

[Jessica Rabbit]

Yes. But I was running out of time and he lets me sign his name for lots of office related stuff.

Your boss shouldn't be an attorney either.

[Mitchell]

I wasnt trying to be deceitful.

 

Isn't that exactly what you were trying to do?

+1

[TTom]

You could be spending three years of your life, working like a dog, come out with a mountain of debt and fail to pass the bar. From what I have read on this forum, even the smallest of fabrications on law app seem to haunt ppl years down the line when it comes to passing the bar. Your situation is obviously much more serious with clear intent so do you want to take on that risk?

OP, judgments of your actions aside, this is probably the most important response to your post.  If you even get into law school, you need to contact the ABA and determine whether, in the absence any other kind of misconduct, you will be eligible to sit for the bar.

I agree with this. However, it's not the ABA that nola would need to check with, but the state's governing body that oversees bar admission. (Whether it be the state's highest court or the state bar association, it depends on the state).

[EarlCat]

I agree with this. However, it's not the ABA that nola would need to check with, but the state's governing body that oversees bar admission. (Whether it be the state's highest court or the state bar association, it depends on the state).

You're right.  I stand corrected.

[TTom]

I agree with this. However, it's not the ABA that nola would need to check with, but the state's governing body that oversees bar admission. (Whether it be the state's highest court or the state bar association, it depends on the state).

You're right.  I stand corrected.

I didn't mean to correct you! I just figured that, on the off chance, nola might want to contact somebody to figure out if it was even worth pursuing anymore. I have a feeling the state bar, providing remedial measures are taken, will let him/her still sit. Too bad. We need to clean up the profession.

[WheelsUp]

There have been some very judgmental comments about the OP. I agree that the OP made a mistake. But we do not know the relationship the OP has with his boss. I know that some of my former bosses would have no problem with me drafting up my own LOR and perhaps even signing it (presuming, as the OP mentioned, the broad signing authority in the past). However, I've also had bosses who are very strict about those things. Frankly, I've seen many worse things than the OP's conduct that did not prevent entrance into the legal profession. For example, failure to mention on a law school application a former drug charge or honor code violation. Only to have it confessed after admission into law school. These things can get cleared up. These young folks are just starting their legal profession. They can easily be seen as correctable first time offenses, and we hope they never happen again. They better not, at least! First-time offenses are not necessarily indicative of a permanent ethical flaw. For example, the OP's mistake is far different from a long-time partner who has been consistently forging documents. So, please, let's reserve the comments about the OP's worthiness of becoming a lawyer.

[LawDog3]

1) Get a lawyer...have him get a sworn affidavit with your boss amplifying the statements he made to LSAC during the phone call. But his ability to do this will hinge on the call not having been recorded.

2) Have your boss admit that he told you to write the letter and that he told you to sign it. Have him swear that he endorses EVERY SINGLE REMARK in the letter and that you did not exaggerate your accomplishments in any way.

3) Just for good measure, your boss could add that you left out some good things he would have wanted added. Lastly, have him affirm that he did receive and read a copy of the letter or had a copy read to him, before or while it was being sent. Wasn't he out of town?

It's mostly up to your boss to save you. He can change his statements as long as the only thing the LSAC has is a "phone interview"...and provided they didn't advise your boss that they were recording the call and then do so.

But you need to at least speak to a lawyer...QUICKLY. NOW!! Protect your offers. See if you can get this thing halted at the LSAC level without any reporting to the schools, you might be able to do it.

What tipped off the LSAC? What made them call your boss, anyways? Did they cross-check against your essays for sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, etc?   

Another question...why didn't you at least have a coworker or heck...your sister or somebody sign the letter? LSAC probably recognized your handwriting. They obviously do random verifications, but there's no reason LSAC should be able to detect a student-written letter.

And your boss must not have been much of an advocate when they called him. My boss would surely have known what to say had they called him. You clearly did not cover your bases.

A lesson to all: "When you take a dump, don't forget to wipe."

I'm still rooting for you to come out ahead, if only because it doesn't sound like you would have just forged a letter w/o your boss's promise.

Or would you have?

[LawDog3]

If anything, I think Nola should get out of this how to show he/she can suck up to a mistake and leave it at that.  Two things bother me:

1)  A lot of justification going on here.  Like someone said, Nola isn't the first and won't be the last person to encounter problems with a letter of rec.  The whole "deadline was coming" approach sounds like an excuse.  If for whatever reason this topic ever comes up in an interview, I'd skip that approach.  Attorneys hate excuses.

2)  Attorneys also aren't too fond of people who can't get things done.  "I was afraid to nag him" = I was afraid to ask him to take care of business.  Goodness, if you can't get things moving on your own law school application how are you expected to get opposing counsel or a judge to get things done for your client.  Or even get your client or your partner in your firm to get things done for your client?

Consensus is, one big screw up.  My advice is to own up to it.  Excuses and justidifications work when you're 12.  I think you'll be able to spin this one better if you take a more age-appropriate approach.

He's got bigger problems than that. He's got at least three bona fide admission offers he needs to protect, and it would be best if he could get the LSAC to call off their dogs. He needs a lawyer.