Will DUI affect my big law offer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I received an offer from a big law firm, but the offer letter asks about criminal convictions.

I had a DUI over 5 years ago. I was young and made a terrible mistake. I WOULD NOT even consider lying or omitting this information. I am going to disclose. I just want to know if anybody has had similar experience. Thanks.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

[Lacepiece23]

We'd have a lot less lawyers if they couldn't have DUIs and obtain gainful employment. Just saying.

[Damage Over Time]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

I have no experience with DUIs but I don't imagine calling the recruiting person and saying "Hi I have a DUI" is better than just filling out the paperwork.

[Lacepiece23]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

I have no experience with DUIs but I don't imagine calling the recruiting person and saying "Hi I have a DUI" is better than just filling out the paperwork.

I did this actually. I disclosed something in my background and asked whether this was going to be an issue. So, at least they were aware of it before they ran the background check. I personally think that's better.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

I have no experience with DUIs but I don't imagine calling the recruiting person and saying "Hi I have a DUI" is better than just filling out the paperwork.

I did this actually. I disclosed something in my background and asked whether this was going to be an issue. So, at least they were aware of it before they ran the background check. I personally think that's better.

OP here. To clarify, the paperwork asks for a description of the issue. So to fill the out the paperwork rather than verbally discoose would still be a full disclosure before background check. Thank you all.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

i emailed saying i would like to accept the offer, but i have a dui and want to make sure this isn't a problem. i made sure to explain how it was 5 years ago and i deeply regret it, haven't repeated it, and disclosed it to my law school when i was applying. they were like no problem. i had several other offers, so i wanted to make sure i wasn't screwing myself by crossing my fingers until the background check.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

i emailed saying i would like to accept the offer, but i have a dui and want to make sure this isn't a problem. i made sure to explain how it was 5 years ago and i deeply regret it, haven't repeated it, and disclosed it to my law school when i was applying. they were like no problem. i had several other offers, so i wanted to make sure i wasn't screwing myself by crossing my fingers until the background check.

Did you email the recruiting/HR contact about this?

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

i emailed saying i would like to accept the offer, but i have a dui and want to make sure this isn't a problem. i made sure to explain how it was 5 years ago and i deeply regret it, haven't repeated it, and disclosed it to my law school when i was applying. they were like no problem. i had several other offers, so i wanted to make sure i wasn't screwing myself by crossing my fingers until the background check.

Did you email the recruiting/HR contact about this?

yep. the firm was a bit unique (non V100), so i wanted to make sure they'd be okay with it before rejecting my other offers from some usual V100 (i.e. DPW, STB) types. I figured the typical big law firms wouldn't have an issue, so i probably wouldn't have emailed them just cuz i didn't think it'd be a problem. but i wanted to save myself anxiety of waiting till the background check. i think you're fine and firms really won't care, but if you wanna save yourself the worry, just email HR and disclose while you can still accept other offers.

[Anonymous User]

i have a 5 year old DUI too. i disclosed it prior to accepting and my firm was fine with it.

Thank you for your experience. How did you disclose? Did you call the recruiting contact? Or did you just fill out the paperwork. I'm curious to hear more, if you would?

i emailed saying i would like to accept the offer, but i have a dui and want to make sure this isn't a problem. i made sure to explain how it was 5 years ago and i deeply regret it, haven't repeated it, and disclosed it to my law school when i was applying. they were like no problem. i had several other offers, so i wanted to make sure i wasn't screwing myself by crossing my fingers until the background check.

Did you email the recruiting/HR contact about this?

yep. the firm was a bit unique (non V100), so i wanted to make sure they'd be okay with it before rejecting my other offers from some usual V100 (i.e. DPW, STB) types. I figured the typical big law firms wouldn't have an issue, so i probably wouldn't have emailed them just cuz i didn't think it'd be a problem. but i wanted to save myself anxiety of waiting till the background check. i think you're fine and firms really won't care, but if you wanna save yourself the worry, just email HR and disclose while you can still accept other offers.

Thanks - ill let you know howthis turns out

[Anonymous User]

I had a DUI (over five years old), underage drinking, and possession of marijuana on my record. None of it was an issue. Big law doesn't really care about that kind of thing. A sizable chunk of the industry is alcoholics.

I did have some issues with character and fitness, but it all ended up being fine.

Just answer whatever questions come up in the paperwork truthfully, and you will be fine. I don't think it would hurt you to reach out to recruiting, but I think its unnecessary and a little weird.

[Anonymous User]

Had a DUI at potentially the worst possible time, end of 1L summer, just before OCI. I accepted an SA offer out of OCI, and soon thereafter called the legal recruiting person to inform them of the situation. I eventually received a call from a higher-up, who assured me that my summer offer was secure, but wanted me to go talk to one of the professionals that the firm outsources for attorneys to discuss their issues, to make sure I don't have a "problem."

So I did. The DUI was eventually reduced to the equivalent of a traffic violation instead of a misdemeanor and I got a full-time offer after my summer. Approaching my second year at the firm and putting all that crap behind me now.