Offer contingent upon background check Forum

[Anonymous User]

I know someone with a domestic battery conviction working at an nlj 250, fwiw.

[Anonymous User]

Is it the consensus that these things are run in the spring? Is there a way to find out when the firm that has extended me an offer runs its check?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how the firms obtain the background check? Do they use an online service, FBI background check, or just go through the state?

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know how the firms obtain the background check? Do they use an online service, FBI background check, or just go through the state?

In my corporate experience, it's done by private outfits, one of which was LexisNexis (yeah. who knew).

My last 3 corporate jobs (in the last 10 years) required background checks. Two were for part time jobs (one of which was an internship). Two required a drug test. So this oft-repeated idea (including in this thread) that background checks are rare is very very wrong.

[Anonymous User]

So what disqualifies someone? What about a misdemeanor arrest in high school (but no conviction)?

(No contest plea --> diversionary program -->charges dismissed.)

[Anonymous User]

In Texas, 1Ls are required to submit a "Declaration of Intent to Study Law" to the state bar. The Bar then issues a preliminary opinion of whether a candidate will pass the C&F check. You would think that would be good enough, considering students will likely disclose more to the Bar than they would to an employer.

[Anonymous User]

you are applying for a job, not a mortgage...

they arent checking your credit score, its criminal history/work-related violations/sanctions

Just to correct this, they DO check your credit score. They will know about every revolving account you have, whether you've paid your car/school notes on time, etc. It is, however, correct that most of the DQs come from the areas of criminal history and work-related malfeasance.

However, they are also using the background check as a general picture of your respect for laws, institutions, and customs. If you are unbelieveably debt-ridden, or notoriously in default, this can be construed as something as simple as an inability to organize an easy task like your personal finances to as major as you generally don't care about obligations you take on. In either case, you don't put someone you perceive in such a light in charge of multi-million/billion dollar legal questions.

Anyway, if you think there's any data that they have at their fingertips that they are not going to try to use to get a picture and, potentially, cull some from the herd, you are dreaming and I will be happy to take the offer you won't get.

This is not entirely true. Most, if not all, firms use a third party to check credit. The firm will no nothing about your accounts or score. They will get a number/evaluation from the third party which they will use in their decisions. The evaluations come down to pass/fail. If you fail they may inquire further but they generally do not know "every revolving account."

[Anonymous User]

This is an area where TLS isn't going to be a source of expertise. We have about two people in actual practice iirc.

But we do have a fair amount of people with skeletons in their closets who have gone through this. For those of us with convictions or what have you, this background check thing is tremendously stressful, and even anecdotes are helpful at bringing down the anxiety level. I do wish those with experiences would be more specific about their offenses, though. Like if it's a crime, tell us: a) felony or misdemeanor, b) alcohol, drugs, violent, theft, or a miscellaneous crime of moral turpitude, and c) how long ago.

I got a DWI four years ago, at age 17. What are the chances that this would be a problem at the offer stage? Oh and obvious piece of advice: When dislosing, be extremely contrite and take full personal responsibility, even if you THINK the circumstances will make you seem less morally blameworthy.

[Anonymous User]

While we're on the subject, which federal agencies do the polygraph test and ask about how many times you've used drugs or pot in your lifetime? Is that part of the standard FBI background check everyone gets prior to permanent employment, where they knock on your neighbors' doors and everything? I'm pretty sure DEA, CIA and FBI do the polygraph, but I don't think DOJ, etc, do it unless it's part of the standard FBI background check.

I'm asking because I've smoked pot more than 15 times in my life and within the last few years, so I know I shouldn't even pursue jobs that do the polygraph and ask these questions.

[Anonymous User]

So what disqualifies someone? What about a misdemeanor arrest in high school (but no conviction)?

(No contest plea --> diversionary program -->charges dismissed.)

Having one of those days where I'm stressing about this. Arrest expunged at state level and expunged from FBI database. Court records still exist, though.

[Anonymous User]

I got a job as a paralegal at a v10 firm with two arrests, both "traffic infractions" aka the lowest DWI in NY, not a crime. While a paralegal isnt an associate, my offer was still contingent on a background check. i assumed they did a "criminal check" and these didnt come up since they were not crimes. but who knows.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on V100 firms and:

5 Non-violent drug felonies and 1 misdemeanor related to distribution of Marijuana (all same arrest/incident), that were dismissed/expunged in exchange for plea of guilty to 1 serious state misdemeanor for possession of Marijuana 1/2oz to 1 and 1/2 oz?

Any chance that even if they don't see the expunged stuff they would ask about it when they see that the guilty charges' filing, arraignment, plea and sentencing dates were all the same day? (obviously, there is "a" chance, i'm just looking for speculation here)

[Anonymous User]

I passed a U.S. Federal Agency background check last summer with a drug related misdemeanor, but I was not invited to interview with a number of Federal agencies this fall. I think DOJ and any security related agency are off-limits to me in this life.

Firms don't seem to care at all.

[LawIdiot86]

I passed a U.S. Federal Agency background check last summer with a drug related misdemeanor, but I was not invited to interview with a number of Federal agencies this fall. I think DOJ and any security related agency are off-limits to me in this life.

Firms don't seem to care at all.

Having worked at DOJ as an intern, I can confirm that they told me a drug-related conviction would basically be a death-knell to hiring prospects. The gov't cares because its boss, Congress (and the public), cares. Firms don't care because their bosses (the clients), don't care as long as they win for the right price. I'm sure where those two intersect, like firms that do work for government contractors in national security, then the firms care.

[Anonymous User]

Is a non-violent misdemeanor (not crime of moral turpitude) coupled with driving on a suspended license cause for concern as far as firms are concerned (Biglaw)? Happened over 7 years ago.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone know if federal judges run credit checks after a clerkship offer has been extended and accepted? I was irresponsible with credit cards as an undergrad and messed up my credit score pretty bad (~600 as of now). No criminal history. Is this something I should be worried about?

[Anonymous User]

does anyone know if background check agencies can tell employment history just by social security number? Or would you need to actually disclose to the firm your prior employment for them to check?

[Anonymous User]

im not sure what service firms use and if its the same service that a lot of employers use then just lol

I do background checks in my current job. i use US Search. I literally just type your name in and wait for the screen. but i know for a fact that US Search does not get everything. i've used other services before too and they're even worse. not sure if regular businesses are the same as law firms. if they are, don't even worry for a second.

background checks are stupid. the people that do them (me) aren't paying attention and couldn't care less. don't worry.

[Bronx Bum]

Can anyone help with this one?:

1. Armed robbery conviction (Felony), did minimal jail sentence at age 21.
2. Arrest for felonious assault on police officer at age 25, dropped down to misdemeanor.
3. Multiple violations throughout life.
4. Felony tax fraud investigation at age 27 (pending).

[Lincoln]

Can anyone help with this one?:

1. Armed robbery conviction (Felony), did minimal jail sentence at age 21.
2. Arrest for felonious assault on police officer at age 25, dropped down to misdemeanor.
3. Multiple violations throughout life.
4. Felony tax fraud investigation at age 27 (pending).

You should check with Bendini, Lambert & Locke. They may be a good fit.

[Anonymous User]

It is now expunged - not a problem for my v10 SA background check - but was not when I interviewed to paralegal at a v15 in NYC. Disclosed my drug misdemeanor (class A in the bible-belt state that busted me), was not a problem whatsoever.

[Anonymous User]

Yea they really screwed you on that one. I'm trying to figure out what a non-drug, non-violent offense would be that is serious enough for them to bounce you.

You get a DUI or get arrested streaking or something?

[Anonymous User]

While we're on the subject, which federal agencies do the polygraph test and ask about how many times you've used drugs or pot in your lifetime? Is that part of the standard FBI background check everyone gets prior to permanent employment, where they knock on your neighbors' doors and everything? I'm pretty sure DEA, CIA and FBI do the polygraph, but I don't think DOJ, etc, do it unless it's part of the standard FBI background check.

I'm asking because I've smoked pot more than 15 times in my life and within the last few years, so I know I shouldn't even pursue jobs that do the polygraph and ask these questions.

Not sure which agencies do it but I wouldn't worry about this. I have a friend who got an analyst position with the NSA (so they didn't absolutely need him or anything and the security clearance level was Top Secret) and he admitted to significant marijuana use for a couple of years (but not in the last year) and to having tried Cocaine, Adderall, Ecstacy. Still got hired.

Amusingly they also asked him how often he jerked it. Still passed, apparently that's more a test of honesty.

However, he'd never been arrested for any of it, so, that would definitely change things.

Oh, and no, the polygraph etc. is not part of the "FBI Background Check." You can actually conduct an "FBI Background Check" on yourself if you're interested.

[Anonymous User]

Any thoughts on V100 firms and:

5 Non-violent drug felonies and 1 misdemeanor related to distribution of Marijuana (all same arrest/incident), that were dismissed/expunged in exchange for plea of guilty to 1 serious state misdemeanor for possession of Marijuana 1/2oz to 1 and 1/2 oz?

Any chance that even if they don't see the expunged stuff they would ask about it when they see that the guilty charges' filing, arraignment, plea and sentencing dates were all the same day? (obviously, there is "a" chance, i'm just looking for speculation here)

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Anonymous User]

My 1l summer (unpaid) internship required a background check.