The
increased focus of federal regulatory authorities on sexual harassment, sexual
violence and other forms of sexual misconduct on campus has required
educational institutions to revise their policies and procedures for handling
such complaints and to be proactive in creating safe and hostile-free campus
environments. Building on a deep bench of education, civil rights and
regulatory lawyers, our interdisciplinary team draws on a broad range of
experience within the firm to assist educational institutions in navigating the
regulatory, investigative, and litigation hurdles presented in this high-stakes
environment. We work closely with schools to help them develop an approach to
Title IX compliance that both reflects their unique campus culture and is consistent
with US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights' latest guidance. Our
work in this area has included conducting investigations of alleged abuse or
misconduct, resolving claims brought against the educational institution,
drafting and revising Title IX policies and procedures for adjudicating
complaints, and benchmarking provisions among various peer institutions for
resolving sexual misconduct complaints.
Representative Engagements
- Defended numerous universities against Title IX and associated state law claims arising out of sexual misconduct proceedings on campus.
- Advised universities on Title IX compliance issues with respect to their policies and procedures.
- Investigated and advised independent school regarding reports of faculty misconduct with students over a lengthy period of time.
- Investigated and advised independent school in connection with peer harassment and sexual assault allegations.
- Investigated abuse allegations in Division I athletic program.