Being accused of sexual misconduct, like sexual assault or sexual harassment, can be a truly terrible experience. Unfortunately, accusations like these that happen while you are in law school, or if you intend on going to law school, can get even more serious. An adverse outcome in these cases can saddle your professional career with a blemish that is difficult to overcome, will throw an obstacle in your ability to apply for the bar exam and become admitted to the bar, and will impact your ability to get into law school, in the first place.
These complications arise because of a federal civil rights statute, Title IX. Attorney Joseph D. Lento represents and advises people—many of whom are law students—who have been accused of sexual misconduct and are facing Title IX charges. Contact him online or by phone at 888-535-3686 to get the help you need.
How Does Title IX Impact a Sexual Misconduct Case?
If you have been accused of sexual misconduct on a college campus in the U.S., the federal civil rights laws embodied in Title IX can play a part in the subsequent proceedings against you. Title IX requires colleges and universities that receive federal funding—including in the form of student aid—to provide equal access to students, regardless of different gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
While this seems admirable, the realities of Title IX pressure schools to vigorously prosecute allegations of sexual misconduct, or risk losing their federal funding. This puts students who have been accused in the difficult position of defending themselves in schools hearings, against a school that is intent on resolving the case as quickly and emphatically as possible.
When you are in law school when this happens, or in college but with the intention of going to law school after you graduate, this can be worrisome because the implications of a Title IX violation on your academic record can have dire repercussions to your professional career in the legal field.
Title IX Violations Impact Law School Applications
If you are an undergraduate or graduate student who is considering law school in the future, vigorously defending against a Title IX allegation is critical because an adverse outcome can make it more difficult to gain admission to the law school of your choice.
Law schools still strive to only admit students that will pass the bar exam after graduation. One of the largest obstacles that graduated students can face is the character and fitness examination, which can even stop people who have passed the bar exam from being admitted to the state bar. Therefore, a substantial part of the application process for law school involves an applicant's past misconduct or criminal history.
For example, many law schools will not accept applicants who have felonies on their criminal history that make them ineligible for receiving a license to practice law in the state.
Title IX violations can rise to this level of severity, where they can doom a law school application, outright. However, law schools are more likely to lower the score of an application that has a Title IX violation on it. The practical difference of these two outcomes, though, is usually the same—with so many people applying to law school, a Title IX violation on your record can prevent you from getting into the legal programs that your academic success should give you access to.
Title IX Violations and the Bar
For nearly everyone who goes to law school, the goal is to become a lawyer. Unfortunately, graduating law school is not the final step—to become an attorney, you still need to apply for the bar exam, pass it, complete state-specific requirements, apply for admission to a state's bar, and then, finally, pass through an extensive character and fitness examination.
If you have a Title IX violation for sexual misconduct on campus, this character and fitness examination can become a serious obstacle. In some states, this examination comes before the bar exam, so findings made during the character and fitness interviews can put your ability to take the bar into jeopardy. Those who are kept from the bar exam, however, are the lucky ones: in the states that proctor the bar exam first, you can stress over and pass the bar exam, only to be denied admission to the bar for a Title IX violation in the character and fitness interviews, later on.
Title IX Violations and Your Employment Prospects
Some Title IX violations do not rise to the severity of others. If this is the case in your situation, you could find yourself able to enroll in law school, take and pass the bar examination and character and witness interviews, and become admitted to your state's bar association, giving you the right to practice law.
Even then, though, a past Title IX violation can be a significant blemish on your reputation, as many law firms still require disclosure of past misconduct to apply for an associate position at their office. In an increasingly competitive legal market for attorneys, admitting to a Title IX violation—even one from your days as an undergraduate—can be seen as enough of a blemish to put you behind other candidates for the position. The effect can be particularly frustrating, because it can leave you feeling like you have been ostracized from the legal field for something that you were accused of doing, long ago.
Joseph D. Lento: Title IX Advisor for Law Students
The severe ramifications that can come with a Title IX violation make it extremely important to levy as much of a defense as possible against the allegations when they are first made, including an appeal of a Title IX violation.
Student discipline defense attorney Joseph D. Lento can help. He represents and assists students throughout the U.S.—both in-person and remotely—in their attempts to overcome a Title IX allegation for sexual misconduct. He also represents students who are in law school or who are considering law school, in their future. Contact him online.or by phone at 888-535-3686.
U.S. law schools where Joseph D. Lento can help as your or your student's Title IX advisor during investigations, hearings, and appeals include, but are not limited to, the following law schools:
- Birmingham School of Law. Birmingham, AL
- Cumberland School of Law - Samford University. Birmingham, AL
- The University of Alabama School of Law. Tuscaloosa, AL
- Thomas Goode Jones School of Law - Faulkner University. Montgomery, AL
- Arizona Summit Law School. Phoenix, AZ
- James E. Rogers College of Law - University of Arizona. Tuscon, AZ
- Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law - Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ
- University of Arkansas School of Law. Fayetteville, AR
- William H. Bowen School of Law - University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Little Rock, AR
- California Western School of Law. San Diego, CA
- Fowler School of Law - Chapman University. Orange, CA
- Golden Gate University School of Law. San Francisco, CA
- Loyola Law School - Loyola Marymount University. Los Angeles, CA
- McGeorge School of Law - University of the Pacific. Sacramento, CA
- Pepperdine University School of Law. Malibu, CA
- Santa Clara University School of Law. Santa Clara, CA
- Southwestern Law School. Los Angeles, CA
- Stanford Law School. Stanford, CA
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law. San Diego, CA
- UC Berkeley School of Law. Berkeley, CA
- UC Davis School of Law. Davis, CA
- UC Hastings College of the Law. San Francisco, CA
- UC Irvine School of the Law. Irvine, CA
- UCLA School of Law. Los Angeles, CA
- University of La Verne College of Law. Ontario, CA
- University of San Diego School of Law. San Diego, CA
- University of San Francisco School of Law. San Francisco, CA
- USC Gould School of Law. Los Angeles, CA
- Western State College of Law at Argosy University. Fullerton, CA
- Whittier Law School. Costa Mesa, CA
- University of Denver Sturm College of Law. Denver, CO
- Colorado Law - University of Colorado Boulder. Boulder, CO
- Quinnipiac University School of Law. Hamden, CT
- University of Connecticut School of Law. Hartford, CT
- Yale Law School. New Haven, CT
- Widener University Delaware Law School. Wilmington, DE
- Ave Maria School of Law. Naples, FL
- Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law - Barry University. Orlando, FL
- Florida A&M University College of Law. Orlando, FL
- Florida Coastal School of Law. Jacksonville, FL
- Florida International University College of Law. Miami, FL
- Florida State University College of Law. Tallahassee, FL
- Levin College of Law - University of Florida. Gainesville, FL
- Shepard Broad Law Center - Nova Southeastern University. Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL
- St. Thomas University School of Law. Miami Gardens, FL.
- Stetson University College of Law. Gulfport, FL and Tampa, FL
- University of Miami School of Law. Coral Gables, FL
- Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. Atlanta, GA
- Emory University School of Law. Atlanta, GA
- Georgia State University College of Law. Atlanta, GA
- Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law. Macon, GA
- Savannah Law School. Savannah, GA
- University of Georgia School of Law. Athens, GA
- University of Hawai'i at Manoa William S. Richardson School of Law. Honolulu, HI
- Concordia University School of Law. Boise, ID
- University of Idaho College of Law. Moscow, ID
- DePaul University College of Law. Chicago, IL
- IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. Chicago, IL
- The John Marshall Law School. Chicago, IL
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Chicago, IL
- Northern Illinois University College of Law. DeKalb, IL
- Northwestern University School of Law. Chicago, IL
- Southern Illinois University School of Law. Carbondale, IL
- University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL
- University of Illinois College of Law. Champaign, IL
- Indiana University Maurer School of Law. Bloomington, IL
- Robert H. McKinney School of Law - Indiana University. Indianapolis, IN
- Notre Dame Law School. Notre Dame, IN
- Valparaiso University School of Law. Valparaiso, IN
- Drake University Law School. Des Moines, IA
- The University of Iowa College of Law. Iowa City, IA
- University of Kansas School of Law. Lawrence, KS
- Washburn University School of Law. Topeka, KS
- Louis D. Brandeis School of Law - University of Louisville. Louisville, KY.
- Salmon P. Chase College of Law - Northern Kentucky University. Highland Heights, KY.
- University of Kentucky College of Law. Lexington, KY
- Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. New Orleans, LA.
- Paul M. Hebert Law Center - Louisiana State University. Baton Rouge, LA
- Southern University Law Center. Baton Rouge, LA
- Tulane University Law School. New Orleans, LA
- University of Maine School of Law. Portland, ME
- University of Baltimore School of Law. Baltimore, MD
- Francis King Carey School of Law - University of Maryland. Baltimore, MD
- Boston College Law School. Newton, MA
- Boston University School of Law. Boston, MA
- Harvard Law School. Cambridge, MA
- Massachusetts School of Law. Andover, MA
- New England Law | Boston. Boston, MA
- Northeastern University School of Law. Boston, MA
- Suffolk University Law School. Boston, MA
- University of Massachusetts School of Law. Dartmouth, MA
- Western New England College School of Law. Springfield, MA
- Michigan State University College of Law. East Lansing, MI
- Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Lansing, MI
- University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Detroit, MI
- University of Michigan Law School - University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI
- Wayne State University Law School. Detroit, MI
- Hamline University School of Law. Saint Paul, MN
- University of Minnesota Law School. Minneapolis, MN
- University of St. Thomas School of Law. Minneapolis, MN
- William Mitchell College of Law. Saint Paul, MN
- Mississippi College School of Law. Jackson, MS
- University of Mississippi School of Law. University, MS
- Saint Louis University School of Law. St. Louis, MO
- University of Missouri School of Law. Columbia, MO
- University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law. Kansas City, MO
- Washington University School of Law. St. Louis, MO
- University of Montana School of Law. Missoula, MT
- Creighton University School of Law. Omaha, NE
- University of Nebraska College of Law. Lincoln, NE
- William S. Boyd School of Law - University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, NV
- Franklin Pierce Law Center - University of New Hampshire School of Law. Concord, NH
- Rutgers School of Law - Newark. Newark, NJ
- Rutgers School of Law - Camden. Camden, NJ
- Seton Hall University School of Law. Newark, NJ
- University of New Mexico School of Law. Albuquerque, NM
- Albany Law School. Albany, NY
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law - Yeshiva University. New York, NY
- Brooklyn Law School. Brooklyn, NY
- Columbia Law School. New York, NY
- Cornell Law School. Ithaca, NY
- The City University of New York School of Law. Long Island City, NY
- Fordham University School of Law. New York, NY
- Maurice A. Deane School of Law - Hofstra University. Hempstead, NY
- Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. Central Islip, NY
- New York Law School. New York, NY
- New York University School of Law. New York, NY
- Pace Law School. White Plains, NY
- St. John's University School of Law. Queens, NY
- Syracuse University College of Law. Syracuse, NY
- SUNY Buffalo Law School. Buffalo, NY
- Charlotte School of Law. Charlotte, NC
- Duke Law School. Durham, NC
- Elon University School of Law. Greensboro, NC
- Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law - Campbell University. Raleigh, NC
- North Carolina Central University School of Law. Durham, NC
- University of North Carolina School of Law. Chapel Hill, NC
- Wake Forest University School of Law. Winston-Salem, NC
- University of North Dakota School of Law. Grand Forks, ND.
- Capital University Law School. Columbus, OH
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Cleveland, OH
- Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Cleveland, OH
- Michael E. Moritz College of Law - The Ohio State University. Columbus, OH
- Pettit College of Law - The Ohio Northern University. Ada, OH
- The University of Akron School of Law. Akron, OH
- University of Cincinnati College of Law. Cincinnati, OH
- University of Dayton School of Law. Dayton, OH
- University of Toledo College of Law. Toledo, OH
- Oklahoma City University School of Law. Oklahoma City, OK
- The University of Tulsa College of Law. Tulsa, OK
- University of Oklahoma College of Law. Norman, OK
- Lewis and Clark Law School. Portland, OR
- University of Oregon School of Law. Eugene, OR
- Willamette University College of Law. Salem, OR
- Beasley School of Law - Temple University. Philadelphia, PA
- Dickinson School of Law - Pennsylvania State University. Carlisle, PA
- Duquesne University School of Law. Pittsburgh, PA
- Penn State Law - Pennsylvania State University. University Park, PA
- University of Pennsylvania Law School. Philadelphia, PA
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Pittsburgh, PA
- Villanova University School of Law. Villanova, PA
- Widener University Commonwealth Law School. Harrisburg, PA
Puerto Rico
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico Escuela de Derecho. Ponce, PR
- Universidad de Puerto Rico Escuela de Derecho. San Juan, PR
- Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico Facultad de Derecho. Hato Rey, PR
- Roger Williams University School of Law. Bristol, RI
- Charleston School of Law. Charleston, SC
- University of South Carolina School of Law. Columbia, SC
- University of South Dakota School of Law. Vermillion, SD
- Belmont University College of Law. Nashville, TN
- Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law - The University of Memphis. Memphis, TN
- University of Tennessee College of Law. Knoxville, TN
- Vanderbilt Law School. Nashville, TN
- Baylor Law School. Waco, TX
- SMU Dedman School of Law. Dallas, TX
- South Texas College of Law. Houston, TX
- St. Mary's University School of Law. San Antonio, TX
- Texas A&M University School of Law. Fort Worth, TX
- Texas Tech University School of Law. Lubbock, TX
- The University of Texas School of Law. Austin, TX
- Thurgood Marshall School of Law - Texas Southern University. Houston, TX
- University of Houston Law Center. Houston, TX
- BYU Law School. Provo, UT
- The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law. Salt Lake City, UT
- Vermont Law School. South Royalton, VT
- Appalachian School of Law. Grundy, VA
- George Mason University School of Law. Arlington, VA
- Liberty University School of Law. Lynchburg, VA
- Marshall-Wythe School of Law - William & Mary. Williamsburg, VA
- Regent University School of Law. Virginia Beach, VA
- University of Richmond School of Law. University of Richmond, VA
- University of Virginia School of Law. Charlottesville, VA
- Washington and Lee University School of Law. Lexington, VA
- Gonzaga University School of Law. Spokane, WA
- Seattle University School of Law. Seattle, WA
- University of Washington School of Law. Seattle, WA
- Columbus School of Law - The Catholic University of America. Washington, D.C.
- David A. Clarke School of Law - University of the District of Columbia. Washington, D.C.
- George Washington University Law School. Washington, D.C.
- Georgetown University Law Center. Washington, D.C.
- Howard University School of Law. Washington, D.C.
- Washington College of Law - American University. Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia University College of Law. Morgantown, WV
- Marquette University Law School. Milwaukee, WI
- University of Wisconsin Law School. Madison, WI
- University of Wyoming College of Law. Laramie, WY
Title IX violations and Title IX charges can change an accused law student's life if not defended against properly and as early as possible during the disciplinary process, and Joseph D. Lento has nearly a decade of experience passionately fighting for the future of his clients at universities and colleges throughout the nation. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead, prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX advisor and educational consultant to law students facing disciplinary cases throughout the nation. Make certain your or your law student's interests are protected - Contact National Title IX attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
