If your child has been suspended or expelled or caught in a crime inside the school campus, you may be worried about their future. Being expelled or suspended in school reflects on their report card, something that good colleges do not prefer. To secure your child’s future and protect them from destructive punishments, contact an experienced education lawyer from Lento Law Firm today.
A student defense attorney can help you navigate the legal process, prepare for the hearing dates, gather evidence, speak to witnesses and create strong arguments. If your child is innocent, an attorney can help completely eliminate the charges against them. However, you must know how to identify a good one.
Tips for choosing the best student defense attorney
- Experience with student defense hearings.
First and most importantly, you want an attorney with at least a decade of experience handling student defense hearings. You do not want a lawyer who handles car accidents or employment-related cases, even though they are good at it. Most importantly, you want someone with experience handling similar Title IX defense cases.
When you get disciplined by the school, a number of your privileges will be threatened, including:
- Financial aid
- Scholarships
- Enrollment
- Academic standing
- Student Housing
- Choose a law firm with an impressive track record.
When picking a law firm to handle your case, look at their track record. You do not want to hire the first student defense attorney you come across. Instead, check their experience with campus students before making a final decision. Remember, experience beats knowledge. Inquire about the number of student defense cases they have handled and how many they have won.
- Understanding of the academic environment.
You need a professional who has an in-depth understanding of the academic environment. They should know how to act in a school setting. An aggressive attorney who comes to the hearing and starts pounding on the table will not help you in this situation. Your attorney should understand how school processes work.
- Line of defense.
Before you choose an attorney to defend your case, be sure to ask them what their line of defense is going to be. For example, they may either work to completely eliminate your charges or only lower them. Asking this question is important to know their approach and to get an idea of what you can expect at the end of the hearing.
Allegations of student misconduct can be destructive to your image and future career. That is why students and their parents need to turn to legal representation.
