One of the most pristine regions of the country, the Seattle metro area is also a mecca of business and innovation. Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Costco continue to attract talent to Seattle and surrounding cities, and local schools and universities continue to benefit from the healthy economic climate.
The net result of this bustling business and educational environment is competition. Such competition, while a net positive, can lead students into mistakes, lapses in judgment, and other pressure-related difficulties.
If you or your student hit a bump in the road, it's vital that you accept help from an advisor who offers student defense in Washington state.
It could be one or more failing grades, an allegation of behavioral misconduct, or an instance of academic misconduct. Whatever the nature of your or your student's issue in the Seattle metro area, the Lento Law Firm can forge a path to a resolution.
Seattle Metropolitan Area - Tacoma, Bellevue, and Surrounding Cities
Northwest Washington is something of a remote gem, one of the most vibrant cultural centers in the nation located on the outskirts of the Continental U.S. Still, studying in an idyllic city does not mean that students have a trouble-free path to graduation—they certainly don't.
Students in the Seattle metro area may experience depressive disorders caused by an abundance of rain and overcast weather, especially if the student is not native to the Pacific Northwest. Such weather-related moods may contribute to academic hardship or even cause out-of-character behavior.
Additionally, an abundance of activities in the area, from nightlife to sporting events and outdoor adventures, can interfere with a student's academics. This may lead a student to fall behind in their classes or even to resort to cheating as a means of keeping pace.
Ultimately, students in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area are students. You or your student is subject to the imperfections that we all fall victim to, and the Lento Law Firm is here to help you resolve any problems that threaten a student's reputation, graduation, or goals for the future.
In addition to Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue, attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento serves students and parents located in:
- Olympia
- Renton
- Issaquah
- SeaTac
- Snohomish
- Bothell
- Redmond
- Kent
- Bremerton
- Auburn
- Lakewood
- Silverdale
- Vashon Island
- Lynnwood
- Puyallup
- North Bend
- Other cities near Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue
The lines can blur between the Seattle metro region and other metroplexes in Washington and northern Oregon. If you are in any city in Washington and need the counsel of a student defense specialist, the Lento Law Firm is the team to call.
Our Firm Serves All Kinds of Schools in the Seattle Metro Area
The spirit of independence runs strong and deep in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, and the rest of the Pacific Northwest. This means that education takes many forms in the Seattle metro area, whether your student is attending K-12 or you're in university.
Even with a variety of schools, students often face many of the same issues. The Lento Law Firm assists students attending:
Colleges and Universities in the Seattle Metro Region
University student defense is one of our firm's primary focuses. Toeing the line between adolescence and adulthood, college students face challenges that younger students simply do not.
Whether you or your student are facing an allegation of sexual misconduct, accusations of substance misuse, consequences for poor academic performance, or another issue at your university, the Lento Law Firm can help. We're familiar with colleges and universities in the Seattle metro area, including:
- Seattle University
- Seattle Central College
- North Seattle College
- Seattle Pacific University
- Pacific Lutheran University
- University of Puget Sound
- University of Washington
- University of Washington - Tacoma
- University of Washington - Bothell
- Bellevue College
- City University of Seattle
- Northwest University
- Central Washington University
- Centralia College
- Antioch University Seattle
- Western Washington University
- Edmonds College
- The Evergreen State College
- Highline College
- Saint Martin's University
- Cascadia College
- Olympia College
- Bastyr University Seattle
Some of these colleges and universities may fall outside the confines of the Seattle metro area. Furthermore, your university within the Seattle metro area may not be on this list. In either case, the Lento Law Firm can assist with your student defense issue.
We work to preserve the futures of university students throughout Washington, including in Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue. Let us help you, too.
Graduate and Specialty Collegiate Programs
Whether you're in graduate school or attending a specialty program for arts, a trade, or another focus, you face the same pressures that any other student does. In fact, the hyper-focused nature of your study may crank up the pressure and can lead to a variety of issues that demand a strong defense.
The Lento Law Firm assists students attending:
- Cornish College of the Arts
- Lake Washington Institute of Technology
- University of Washington Graduate Programs
- Bates Technical College
- Clover Park Technical College
- Bellingham Technical College
- Faith International University and Seminary
- DigiPen Institute of Technology
- Pima Medical Institute - Seattle
- Seattle Film Institute
- Northwest College of Art & Design
If you're attending one of these schools or another graduate or specialty program not listed here, attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento is ready to fight for you.
K-12 Private Schools
Seattle's appealing natural and man-made features draw high achievers from all over the country within its metro limits. Those high achievers' kids need somewhere to go to school, and so the Seattle metro area is home to many prominent K-12 private schools, including:
- Annie Wright Schools
- The Bush School
- Charles Wright Academy
- Villa Academy
- The Bear Creek School
- Seattle Waldorf School
- Bellevue Christian School
- Shoreline Christian School
- King's Schools
- Academy Northwest
- The Little School
- Lakeside School
- Seattle Academy
- Holy Names Academy
- The Overlake School
- Eastside Preparatory School
- University Prep
- Concordia Christian Academy
- St. Mark Catholic Classical School
- Gateway Christian Schools - Crosspoint
- Chrysalis School
- Rainier Christian Schools
- Grace Academy
- Life Christian Academy
- Epiphany School
- The Evergreen School
- Cedar Park Christian School - Bothell Campus
- Tacoma Baptist Schools
- Seattle Christian School
If your child is having any kind of issue at one of these or another private K-12 institution in the Seattle metroplex, you must think about their future. Having an attorney-advisor resolve their issue with administrators or the school's legal counsel could be in your student's best interests.
K-12 Public Schools
Students attending public schools in the Seattle metro area have dreams just as great as students at private schools. These students deserve the same capable defense as any other student, and we can help a pupil who attends:
- Tesla STEM High School
- International Community School
- Interlake Senior High School
- Newport Senior High School
- International School
- Bellevue High School
- Raisbeck Aviation High School
- Mercer Island High School
- North Creek High School
- East Lake High School
- Redmond High School
- Skyline High School
- Issaquah High School
- Any other public elementary, middle, or high school in the Seattle metro area
The Lento Law Firm's mission is to help students. Whether your student is accused of behavioral misconduct or another issue that has them facing adverse consequences, the first step is to get them a capable defense.
We Defend Students in the Seattle Metro Area Facing the Entire Spectrum of School-Related Problems
The Lento Law Firm has chosen to focus on all areas of student defense, as we know that there are virtually endless hurdles that a student can encounter. If you or your student is facing the possibility of dismissal, suspension, probation, formal reprimand, repeating coursework, or another outcome that you wish to avoid, our team is ready to help.
We handle student issues in the Seattle metroplex, including but not limited to:
Academic Progression Issues
Even the best students struggle at some point. If you or your student have run into academic progression issues, then your school may be considering actions that aren't in your favor.
The University of Washington has published at least one in-depth study analyzing academic struggles amongst its students. The university itself cites financial issues, emotional distress, depression, and dissatisfaction with the academic environment as reasons why students don't progress as expected.
Consequences of a failure to progress academically could include:
- Failing a course, or receiving a “W” or “I” grade, each of which may reflect negatively on your transcript
- Academic probation
- Suspension
- Forced withdrawal from a program or university
You should not accept these outcomes without an advocate to plead your case. UW's apparent interest in helping students progress indicates that the university, and other schools in the Seattle metro area, may be amenable to reaching a compromise with you or your student.
The Lento Law Firm will work with your school to seek an acceptable resolution to any academic progression issues that you or your student are facing.
Academic Misconduct Allegations
You'll find that most K-12 schools and universities have some type of academic-specific behavioral standard. Tesla STEM High School policies, for example, state that “All forms of cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication of student work will result in an automatic loss of credit on the assignment/test/quiz.”
Persistent or egregious academic misconduct, whether at Tesla High School or another educational institution, may result in:
- A formal reprimand in a student file
- Short-term or long-term suspension
- Behavioral or academic probation
- Dismissal
- Other sanctions
Being found responsible for academic misconduct is generally more serious than poor academic performance. Such misconduct tends to signal bad intent, which some may perceive as an indictment of a student's character.
Students make mistakes and also face false allegations of academic misconduct. In either instance, it's critical that your attorney-advisor seek a solution that minimizes harm to your or your student's personal reputation.
If you fail to fight for the best possible outcome, you may regret it later when admissions boards or prospective employers encounter a significant blemish on your or your student's record.
Behavioral Misconduct Allegations
The University of Puget Sound publishes a list of behaviors it demands of its students, titled simply “Standards.” You will find that most schools in the Seattle metro area adopt similar guidelines, which:
- Prohibit disruptive behavior
- Require students to display “personal integrity,” which may extend to both on-school and off-school behavior
- Require students to respect the property of both the school and other people
- Prohibit threats or actions of violence
- Prohibit possession of alcohol and drugs on school property or by minors
- Require students to cooperate with any disciplinary process that they're involved with
Violating these or other behavioral policies could expose you or your student to discipline. The Lento Law Firm will accompany you or your student through any hearings, interviews, appeals, or other steps in the disciplinary process.
Once again, our goal will be clear: Secure the best possible outcome for the student, period.
Title IX Violations
If you're not completely familiar with Title IX, you're not the only one. You should know, though, that an allegation that falls under the scope of federal Title IX legislation can have life-defining consequences.
If you or your student is accused of sexual misconduct, harassment, or gender-based discrimination, then the Title IX process may ensue. Schools may be especially sensitive to Title IX allegations and may not take the measured, deliberate approach that it should.
The least you can do to protect yourself or your student is to hire a Title IX advisor to guide you through the treacherous process ahead.
The Value Proposition of Hiring an Experienced, Nationwide Student Discipline Defense Advisor for an Issue in the Seattle Metroplex
A capable student defense attorney-advisor can be invaluable. Our team will get to the bottom of your or your student's issue, set a clear goal, and do everything in our power to attain that target outcome.
Whether it means navigating a school's well-established disciplinary process or negotiating directly with the school's Office of General Counsel (OGC), the Lento Law Firm explores all potential avenues to a resolution. When we need to, we pursue legal action on the client's behalf.
The student's goals and future opportunities may be on the line. You cannot afford to wait for a capable offense, so contact us today. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or submit your case details online.
