The topic of this article focuses on the battles school counselors face when the law and ethical standards collide. School counselors face a number of legal and ethical issues and it is not always easy to make a clear decision. School counselors must work with large numbers of students, parents and administrators while complying with codes of ethics, state laws and school board guidelines. This topic is of great importance to me as I am going into the school counseling profession. This is also an important topic for me because life-changing decisions are made every day with reference to legal and ethical issues. Research on this topic has highlighted the difficulty for school counselors to meet both legal and ethical requirements. The main reason for this is that laws and ethical codes can sometimes convey different and contradictory messages on the same subject. This can lead to legal consequences, even while respecting ethical standards, as we will see in the example of Woodlock v. Orange Ulster BOCES (2006/2008). In Woodlock v. Orange, the school counselor, known as NW, advocated for systemic change on behalf of his special education students. It was completely in accordance with the code of ethics. NW repeatedly expressed his concerns to the administrative intern and the director. Her main concern was the lack of certified gymnastics and art instructors, which violated state mandates for special education and children's IEPs. She raised other security concerns with the administration with little or no response. She began documenting all of her interactions with administration, which led to a written reprimand from the principal. This reprimand indicated that NW was "taking upon himself...... middle of paper ......l Advisors." Professional School Counseling, 195-202. Accessed March 12, 2014 at www.schoolcounselor.org Kress, Victoria, Drouhard, Nicole. (2006). Students who self-harm: School counselor ethical and legal considerations. Professional School Counseling, 203-208. Accessed March 12, 2014 from www.schoolcounselor.orgMoyer, M. and Sullivan, J. (2008). Student risky behaviors: When do school counselors break confidentiality?. Professional School Counseling, 11(4), 236-245. Accessed March 12, 2014, from http://dx.doi.org/10.5330/PSC.n.2010-11.236Stone, CB and Zirkel, PA (2010). School counselors' advocacy: When law and ethics can collide. Professional School Counseling, 13(4), 244-247. Accessed March 12, 2014, from http://dx.doi.org/10.5330/PSC.n.2010-13.244Devoe, Andrea. Personal interview. April 8, 2014. Weaver Middle School, Merced Ca. 209-723-2174