Addressing Legal Issues for Parents & Young Adults

Preparing to send a child to college is more than just helping them pack their car or making sure they have the right meal plan. It is also about equipping them with the right resources to better protect themselves now that they are legally independent.

If your 18-year-old is badly injured in a car accident, do you have the necessary paperwork to talk with doctors about their medical condition? For many parents whose adult children were recently sent off to college, the answer to that question would be a surprising no—unless your adult child signed a health care durable power of attorney and HIPAA authorization, you cannot access their medical information, even in an emergency.

If your student has a controlled substance use conviction on their record, it is possible they may likely be unable to obtain any sort of financial aid or have their application to grad school rejected.

To empower parents and students to take proactive steps, Foster Swift launched this resource page which includes an informative video series, virtual legal discussions and other tools aimed at demystifying pressing legal concerns for both young adults and their parents, paving the way for a safer and more informed academic journey. The video links below are divided into three categories:

Planning Ahead - Discusses transactional key documents to have in place before your young adult leaves home such as durable power of attorney for health care, HIPAA authorization and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) forms. Also discusses dealing with issues of bullying and when involving an attorney is necessary.
Criminal Charges - Addresses common legal pitfalls that college students face along with the long-term consequences that they can have on a young adult's academic and future path such as sexual nonconsent and distracted/intoxicated driving.
Cyber Issues - Addresses issues related to cyberbullying and identity theft and how to protect your student's information.

The main contacts for this video series are:

Bryan Cermak...248.785.4736...bcermak@fosterswift.com
Alex Rusek...517.371.8153...arusek@fosterswift.com

Videos

Planning Ahead

Bullying: Awareness, Prevention, & When to Get Involved
- Strategies to address bullying issues in a college environment, including when and when not to call an attorney.
Understanding Durable Power of Attorney in an Emergency for Parents & College Students
- The importance of establishing a durable power of attorney for parents and students to ensure financial and legal matters are managed effectively in an emergency.

Criminal Charges

Common Legal Pitfalls for College Students
- Identifying and avoiding common legal pitfalls that college students may encounter during their academic journey.
Knowing the Importance of Consent
- An overview of the legal aspects of consent within the context of young adult relationships and interactions.
Facing Criminal Charges in College
- Guidance on handling criminal charges, legal rights, and the importance of legal representation for young adults.
Effects and Legal Consequences of Distracted Driving
- Understanding the legal implications and consequences of distracted driving.

Cyber Issues

Legal Options to Combat Cyber-Bullying & Online Defamation
- Addressing the challenges of cyberbullying and legal options for combatting online harassment and fostering a safer online environment.
Computers, Cybersecurity & Identity Theft in a College Environment
- Valuable insights into protecting personal and financial information in the digital age, a crucial concern for college students.