To students in medical school, dental school, nursing school, pharmacy school, other graduate programs: who have been referred to the Student Progress Committee. Most students do not realize the risks of appearing before a committee that has the power to dismiss you and has been asked to consider doing just that. At Cohen & Duncan Attorneys LLC we have extensive experience dealing with what we call “UNRINGING THE BELL.” By this, we mean that students must take every opportunity to bring up all factual and legal issues that could sway the Student Progress Committee BEFORE ITS DECISION IS MADE. Appeals thereafter to a dean face an inherent challenge in that the dean is very likely to have been the one to appoint the members of the committee. So there is a natural reluctance on the part of a dean to overturn, and thereby criticize, the decision of his or her hand-picked committee member. Your appeal after an adverse decision of an SPC is like “unringing the bell.”

At Cohen & Duncan Attorneys LLC we offer guidance and editorial assistance in a student’s preparation of materials for submission to the Student Progress Committee. We also offer role-playing scenarios by video conference to give a student a practice opportunity to handle the tough questions typically asked by Student Progress Committee members. We also analyze a student’s record and the critiques which formed the basis of the referral to the SPC.

Finally, we review a student’s case to spot issues such as compliance with disability accommodations; disparate treatment of our client compared with similarly situated students; failure to adhere to remediation policies; possible bias on the part of faculty or clinic preceptors, and any other issue which could be brought to the attention of a Student Progress Committee. Of course, if there is an adverse SPC ruling, we write and submit appeals raising all possible issues.

For a no-cost initial evaluation of your situation, send your message to cac@studentrightslawyers.com or ad@studentrightslawyers.com