I have applied to LLM programs for Sept. 2010, but I have also made commitments with my employer to take on permanent work starting in Fall 2010. If I get into an LLM program, I will quit my work.

I have some unpublished work for my employer which I mentioned in my CV.

I am worried that the schools might call my employer to verify what I have written about my experience and forthcoming publications. If this occurred, it would be a very embarrassing situation at work, revealing that I have applied to the LLM program and that my job is my second choice. This would potentially affect my future employment negatively.

Is there any chance that a school would call a third party during the evaluation process? I mean, surely, they must verify the information that I have provided in the CV--has anyone heard of this happening?

HLS has a very clear Privacy policy where they voluntarily waive any such verification.

Others to my knowledge may not have (explicitly @ any rate), such privacy policies;

Nonetheless, they MAY contact your referres if time permits them and thats about it.

They will not contact any one else simply because that third party may not know you very well and therefore their word is just not trustworthy enough.

Speaking from a L&E perspective, I think the law schools appreciate that "couterparty" behaviour is costly to verify and opportunistic behaviour might happen in few cases; their response, if I may draw on Gary Becker's theory, is to rely on enhanced threat of expost sanction (in terms of revoking the admissions/reputational sanctions etc.,) coupled with ex ante clear "rules" that mandate absolute disclosure and the detailed procedure of sealing and signing across the seal by the recommender that reduces their ex post cost of verification

To come back to your question, They will verify your credentials only from such sources that you have (implicitly) allowed them to verify it from. The recommenders serve that purpose/

Ergo, if your employer reco was provided, they MAY contact the recommender to verify your credentials overall including what you put on your resume.

Thank you for the response! Drawing on L&E references is encouraged and appreciated!!!

you can bet on that dude!... Although going purely by nicknames, you would not be too happy about L&E LOL... (Blackstone was a positivist was he not? I think so; correct me if I am wrong)...LOL...

All the best....