With over 80 colleges, universities, and technical schools, the Tampa Bay area, consisting of the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, has tremendous educational opportunities and premier institutions. Students studying in the Tampa Bay area benefit from the region's rich cultural diversity and history and are able to experience Tampa's festivals, art, and culture.
Colleges and universities in the Tampa Bay area provide an environment conducive to learning and exploring interests through research, studying abroad, and benefitting from the rich library resources available.
While studying and living in Tampa could be a life-enhancing experience for your student and help them grow academically and personally, they may also find themselves in positions where they are in violation of the rules and code of conduct of their university or college.
Educational institutions tend to have complex and detailed regulations, honor codes, and educational behavior codes, and navigating this prickly set of rules can be challenging – especially for young adults who are learning and finding themselves.
If you or your student is accused of academic, behavioral, or sexual misconduct, they could find themselves facing dire disciplinary consequences that could have a lasting negative impact on their career.
It is advisable to retain the services of an experienced student defense attorney-advisor who can help extricate your student from a tough situation with the least negative consequences.
Joseph D. Lento has over 20 years of experience in student defense and is an accomplished defense attorney-advisor in the Tampa Bay area. He has successfully represented hundreds of students in cases of academic, behavioral, or sexual misconduct and can support you or your student against any accusations.
The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater Metropolitan Area
The Tampa Bay area, on the west coast of Florida, is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the US. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater and has a population of 3,175,275. It includes the counties Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas.
This area is home to some of the premier research centers and universities in the state. The University of Tampa, the University of South Florida, and St. Leo University are some of the most acclaimed universities in the area.
With the sheer number of schools, colleges, and universities in the area, it can be hard for local law firms that don't specialize in student defense, to legally represent students in cases of academic or behavioral misconduct or other disciplinary issues.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento knows the Tampa Bay area extremely well and has a deep understanding of the various rules, regulations, and codes of the different educational institutions in the area.
He specializes in student defense and has successfully defended students against charges like sexual misconduct, plagiarism, cheating, behavioral issues, and more for over 20 years.
If you or your student find themselves in disciplinary trouble with their college or university, consider retaining Mr. Lento and the Lento Law Firm for a successful defense.
Tampa Bay Area Student Concerns
With a number of premier research centers, the Tampa Bay area offers some of the best educational opportunities to students in Florida. But each educational institution has its own set of rules, regulations, policies, and codes – making it difficult for students to fully understand what is expected of them.
Each educational institution has different rules, but they are all governed by the state laws of Florida.
Given the academic and non-academic challenges of studying and living in the Tampa Bay area, students can find themselves overwhelmed and stressed. Additionally, making a single misstep could land students in disciplinary trouble, and making sense of the complicated rules and regulations of your college or school, could be challenging.
Experienced attorney-advisor, Mr. Joseph D. Lento, can help you or your student contend with tricky disciplinary cases, help them understand their rights, and successfully defend them against any allegations. Mr. Lento specializes in student defense and has over 20 years of experience representing students against school disciplinary issues.
Tampa Bay Area Schools
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm's student defense team are available to provide your student with a successful defense, whatever level of school, college, or university they are at.
Some of the colleges and universities where Mr. Lento provides legal representation to students include:
- The University of Tampa
- The Global American University – Schiller, Tampa Campus
- Eckerd College
- Florida College
- St. Leo University
- The University of Tampa
- AGM University – Tampa Bay
- UT Plant Hall
- Canterbury School of Florida – Knowlton Campus
- Everglades University – Tampa Campus
- South University - Tampa
- Herzing University – Tampa
- Westshore University LLC
- Strayer University Tampa Westshore
- College of Natural and Health Sciences
- Keiser University – Tampa
- Florida Southern College
- Southeastern University
- Trinity College of Florida
- Schiller International University
Mr. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm also represent students in any of the specialist business, nursing, medical, technical, law, art, theology, or military colleges and universities in the Tampa Bay area, such as:
- Galen College of Nursing – Tampa Bay
- Medical Prep Institute of Tampa Bay
- Arizona College of Nursing – Tampa
- Rasmussen University – Tampa/Brandon
- College of Public Health
- Erwin Technical College
- Sykes College of Business
- Tampa Medical College
- Muma College of Business
- College of Behavioral and Community Sciences
- Department of Educational Measurement and Research
- The Art Institute of Tampa
- Florida Bible College of Tampa
- Faith Theological Seminary and Christian College
The Lento Law Firm also represents K-12 students studying in primary, secondary, and high schools in the Tampa Bay area. To name a few:
- Berkely Preparatory School
- Shorecrest Preparatory School
- Tampa Preparatory School
- St. John's Episcopal School
- Carrollwood Day School
- Academy of the Holy Names
- Academy at the Lakes
- Jesuit High School
- St. Petersburg Collegiate High School
- Plant High School
- Strawberry Crest High School
- Steinbrenner High School
- Admiral Farragut Academy
- Canterbury School of Florida
- Sickles High School
- American Youth Academy
- Paideia Classical Christian School
- Palm Harbor University High School
- Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School
- Universal Academy of Florida
- Tampa Catholic High School
- Calvary Christian High School
- Bishop Mclaughlin Catholic High School
- Genesis Preparatory School
- Seffner Christian Academy
Disciplinary Defense in the Tampa Bay Area
Schools, colleges, and universities in the Tampa Bay area and elsewhere usually have stringent academic and behavioral standards to uphold, particularly if they are recipients of federal funding.
Their diligence in upholding these standards can cause them to be strict about misconduct and other undesirable behavior and be quick to bring about disciplinary charges against students. These charges can range from academic misconduct such as plagiarism or cheating to behavioral misconduct like bullying or harassment and even sexual misconduct.
Being accused of these offenses can result in severe punishment, from a formal reprimand to suspension or expulsion, and adversely impact your or your student's career.
Accomplished attorney-advisor Mr. Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm specialize in student defense and can defend your student against charges like:
Academic Progression Issues
Even though academic progression issues are typically less serious than misconduct, they can come with steep punishments, including a failing grade or having to repeat a class or semester.
Schools and colleges are required to uphold a level of academic proficiency and can sometimes be strict and exacting when marking papers. Additionally, mistakes in calculating grades could also result in a student unfairly receiving a poorer grade than they deserve.
The University of Tampa's Academic Integrity Policy is a good example.
In many cases, students may be entitled to appeal a SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) dismissal. These cases can include instances of a wrongly calculated grade or extenuating circumstances that excuse the student's performance, such as an emergency, bereavement, or health issues.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento specializes in school discipline defense issues and can make sure your student is not unfairly punished for academic progression issues.
Academic Misconduct Issues
Schools, colleges, and universities are very strict about cases of academic misconduct, which includes any form of cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty.
Academic integrity policies and codes of conduct, such as the University of Tampa's Student Code of Conduct or the University of Florida's Academic Integrity Policy, govern students' academic behavior and ensure they uphold professional and academic integrity.
Any student who is accused of plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration on an assignment, or cheating, could find themselves facing severe punitive action, which could range from suspension to expulsion.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento can help protect your student's interests and ensure their rights are respected and upheld. Mr. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have many years of experience defending students against such offenses and will do whatever it takes to ensure a positive outcome for you or your student.
Behavioral Misconduct Issues
When it comes to student conduct, schools, colleges, and universities have high expectations and expect students to conduct themselves impeccably. Any instances of poor conduct, including disrupting a class, issuing threats, using drugs or weapons, bullying, harassment, violence, and vandalism, are dealt with strictly.
The University of Tampa's Compliance Policy is one such example.
Often these institutions misidentify the students responsible for disorderly conduct or overlook mitigating circumstances that may excuse such behavior. In such cases, your student may be entitled to protest such charges or cite mitigating circumstances as a valid defense.
An experienced student defense attorney-advisor can ensure your student isn't falsely charged and can defend your student, helping clear their if they have been falsely accused.
Title IX Sexual Misconduct Issues
Educational institutions that receive federal funding are required to regulate and punish certain forms of sexual misconduct, including behaviors such as sexual assault, stalking, domestic or intimate partner violence, and sexual harassment. Under Federal Title IX regulations, schools, colleges, and universities receiving federal funding are required to prohibit, prevent, and punish such behaviors.
Aside from the Title IX regulations, schools often prohibit acts of prostitution, solicitation of prostitution, sexual blackmail, and invasions of privacy and can dole out severe punishments to students found responsible for these behaviors. These punishments can be as bad as suspension or expulsion, resulting in a permanent career gap that can mar your student's professional record.
Schools may sometimes make false, inaccurate, or unfair allegations, and having an experienced attorney-advisor to defend you or your student can make the difference between successfully finishing your degree or being expelled.
Premier school discipline defense attorney Joseph D. Lento can defend against and defeat Title IX and other sexual misconduct charges and protect your student's rights.
Retaining a School Discipline Defense Attorney-Advisor
Without a skilled and experienced student defense advisor by your student's side, they are left to deal with a scary and complicated situation by themselves. Mishandling of a disciplinary defense issue could end in lasting negative consequences for your student's career. If they are suspended or expelled, they could find themselves ineligible to apply to many higher study programs and jobs or find it difficult to explain the gap in their academic record.
Having a skilled student defense attorney-advisor could make all the difference and ensure your student is successfully defended against allegations of academic, behavioral, or sexual misconduct.
Attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm have been successfully representing students in the Tampa Bay area and other states for over 20 years and are experts in navigating the complicated disciplinary policies, codes, and guidelines of schools, colleges, and universities.
Consider retaining Mr. Lento for the best student defense available. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888.535.3686 or contact us online now.
