ABA Standard 510 Complaint Policy

Complaint Policy (ABA Standard 510)

As an ABA-accredited law school, Suffolk University Law School is subject to the ABA Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools. This policy is adopted pursuant to Standard 510, which requires law schools to establish, publish, and follow policies for addressing student complaints that implicate the school's compliance with the Standards.

Submitting a Complaint

Any student who wishes to bring a formal complaint to the Law School administration about a significant problem that may implicate the Law School's program of legal education and its compliance with the ABA Standards should take the following steps:

  • Submit a complaint in writing to the Dean of Law and Graduate Student Affairs ("Dean of Students") by email addressed to the Law Dean of Students Office at [email protected].
  • Provide a detailed description of the problem, program, behavior, or process that is the subject of the complaint.
  • Provide name and contact information, including Suffolk email address and phone number.

Procedures for Addressing Complaints

  • The Dean of Students or a designee will acknowledge the complaint within seven business days of receipt. Acknowledgment will be made to the complainant's email address.
  • The Dean of Students or designee shall determine whether the facts alleged in the complaint implicate the Law School's compliance with an ABA Standard.
  • Within two weeks of acknowledgment, the Dean of Students or designee shall either meet with the student to obtain further information needed to respond to the complaint and establish a timeline for resolution; or if no further information is needed for a resolution, provide the student with a written response to the complaint.
  • Upon resolution of the complaint by the Dean of Students or designee, the student will receive a written response that either provides information about steps the Law School will take to address the matter, or an explanation that the matter does not implicate compliance with the ABA Standards.
  • Within ten days of the date of the written response from the Dean of Students or designee, the student may appeal the response to the Dean of the Law School. The Dean's decision shall be final.

Record of Complaints

The Law School shall maintain a record of student complaints that allege facts implicating the Law School's compliance with the Standards, as required by Standard 510(b). For all such complaints, the record will include the complaint, a summary of the process followed to address it, and the resolution. Records will be retained for at least ten years, consistent with Standard 510(c).