Demonstrating ‘broad expertise in higher education, both within the US and internationally’, the Washington DC-based team at Hogan Lovells US LLP routinely acts as lead counsel for universities and medical centers involved in investigations, as well as providing support with litigation and regulatory compliance mandates. The practice is co-directed by firm global education lead Stephanie Gold, who specializes in sensitive regulatory compliance matters, government investigations, litigation, and corporate transactions in the education sector. Alongside her, the ‘nothing less than outstanding’ William Ferreira heads up the firm’s global public procurement practice and has experience advising clients in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. His areas of specialization include federal grants and contracts and US government funding matters such as research integrity, conflicts of interest, foreign influence, and False Claims Act enforcement. Joel Buckman focuses his practice on education regulatory matters, including Title IV federal student financial aid compliance and Title IV program reviews. Megan Wilson is noted for her work helping higher education institutions to comply with anti-discrimination laws.

Well-regarded by clients for its ‘impeccable service and attention’, the department at Husch Blackwell LLP is a strong choice for a range of advisory and contentious education mandates. Core areas of expertise include handling investigations, litigation, and advising on corporate transactions and regulatory compliance. The team advises universities, academic medical centers, religious institutions, for-profit institutions, and K-12 school districts. Two Kansas City-based partners share leadership: Hayley Hanson handles investigations, litigation, arbitration, and mediation, and also advises institutions on compliance with Department of Education regulations. Alongside her, Sean Tassi focuses his practice on the provision of day-to-day compliance and transactional counsel. In Chicago, Lisa Parker is described as a ‘true asset’ and provides regulatory counsel to institutions, as well as acting for them in litigation before trial and appellate courts. Julie Miceli, who previously acted as deputy general counsel for higher education and federal student aid at the Department of Education, is lauded for her ‘personalized service’ and majors on transactions and compliance issues. Scott Schneider left the group in August 2023.

Lauded by one client as a ‘truly first-rate team’, the practice at King & Spalding LLP assists healthcare and academic medical centers with litigation and arbitration, transactional and regulatory mandates, investigations, and corporate governance. The department, which is noted for its ‘responsiveness, ability to understand the issues, and practical advice’, is jointly directed by a trio of partners. Leading from Chicago, Zachary Fardon routinely represents major universities in sensitive white-collar criminal defense and investigations. In Atlanta, Andy Bayman has focused his practice on representing academic medical centers and medical schools in a range of regulatory and transactional matters. New York-based Todd Holleman completes the leadership group. Additional key names to note include Houston-based Adam Robison, who advises academic medical centers on transactional mandates; and Zachary Fardon, who works from the Chicago office and focuses on white-collar criminal defense.

Akin‘s education practice is well-placed to advise clients on a range of education matters, among them policy issues, internal investigations, Title IX obligations, data privacy, and litigation. Washington DC-based Michael Vernick steers the practice and has recently focused on matters such as foreign influence over U.S. government funded research, scientific misconduct investigations, and conflict of interest issues, in addition to advising on the financial and administrative management of grants. Additional key contacts in Washington DC include Marta Thompson, who represents clients involved in government audits, and allegations of misconduct and fraud, and Anthony Pierce, who litigates education disputes and defends clients from class actions.

The ‘extraordinarily skilled’ team at Choate, Hall & Stewart, lauded by one client as providing ‘service of the highest level’, specializes in advising research universities and medical institutions on the compliance risks associated with international research collaborations, economic and academic espionage, and undue foreign influence. The Boston-based practice is also equipped to handle whistleblower allegations and investigations by federal agencies, as well as investigations relating to sexual misconduct, Title IX, and fraud. Four partners share leadership: Christine Savage regularly assists academic and clinical research institutions with internal reviews and foreign influence mandates, while Alison Reif‘s expertise covers advisory and contentious labor and employment matters. Michael Gass is well-versed in admissions, financial aid matters, and antitrust issues; Cameron Casey completes the leadership group and majors on providing estate planning advice to high-net-worth individuals and families. Lyndsey Kruzer is noted for assisting education-sector employers with employment advice, while Mark McPherson has focused his practice on government and internal investigations involving healthcare fraud and securities fraud. Joan Lukey left the firm in April 2023.

The department at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman centers its focus on the defense of research misconduct allegations, allegations against students, and Title IX matters. The team routinely represents individuals and institutions in investigations involving alleged plagiarism, data falsification, and grant and research fraud. The practice is co-directed by a trio of experienced partners. Working from Washington DC, Paul Thaler assists colleges, universities, hospitals, and other research institutions with research misconduct mandates; co-leading from the same office, Shanlon Wu focuses on college student defense, often dealing with cases involving alcohol violations, cyberbullying, and cheating. Lauded as an ‘exceptional attorney’, the Philadelphia-based Ashling Ehrhardt completes the leadership group and handles litigation, investigations, and the review university policies to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations.

The group at Duane Morris LLP is routinely instructed by universities, proprietary colleges, vocational schools, Pre-K-12 institutions, and EdTech companies for its broad education expertise. The provision of compliance counsel with federal, state and accrediting body regulations and standards applicable to postsecondary institutions is a core pillar of the practice. In addition, the education regulatory team is equipped to advise on regulatory matters affecting colleges, universities and schools, namely federal and state licensing laws, policies and procedures. A group of four partners share leadership of the team. Based in San Diego, Anthony Guida, is noted for his provision of ‘solid guidance and perspective’ and focuses on pre-K-12, postsecondary, EdTech and corporate training education; alongside him, Edward Cramp represents higher education institutions in litigation. In Washington DC and Chicago respectively, Katherine Brodie and Lisa Scruggs both boast broad advisory and contentious practices.

Eversheds Sutherland‘s education practice demonstrates strong capabilities in both the contentious and non-contentious spaces, for which it is regularly sought out by private and public colleges and universities, allied educational companies, and investors in higher education. The group is regularly engaged in litigation in federal and state courts, including recent funding and COVID-related cases. On the advisory side, the team shines at assisting institutions with federal student aid compliance and accreditation, as well as a range of finance, employment, and tax mandates. Atlanta-based global litigation co-lead Rocco Testani steers the department and specializes in school finance matters and public policy and governmental disputes. Also in Atlanta, Stacey McGavin Mohr litigates complex business disputes and education-funding litigation; Benjamin Reed assists postsecondary educational institutions with compliance matters. In Washington DC, Stanley Freeman dedicates his practice to regulatory work in the field of postsecondary education.

The lawyers at Hecker Fink LLP‘s education practice are well-placed to represent educational institutions in employment, admissions, gender-based misconduct, and athletics-related Title IX matters. Assisting educational institutions with internal investigations into allegations of discrimination and misconduct constitutes an additional pillar of the practice. New York-based department lead Roberta Kaplan is routinely called upon by clients in the education, tech, and financial services segments for her contentious expertise. Also based in New York, Gabrielle Tenzer has significant experience litigating Title IX, student discipline, and COVID-related cases. Joshua Matz is the key contact in Washington DC – his areas of specialization include contract, fraud, and defamation disputes, as well as consumer protection and sex discrimination matters.

Praised as ‘masterful at getting to know and understand their clients’ needs’, the ‘knowledgeable’ lawyers at McGuireWoods LLP assist higher education institutions, K-12 schools, school board, academic medical centers, and foundations with the range of education mandates. Core areas of practice for the group include representing universities in government investigations and Title IX litigation, corporate governance, and education-related labor and employment mandates. Washington DC-based Farnaz Thompson steers the practice and handles litigation, investigations, and due diligence in education-related transactions, including in the edtech industry. Additional key contacts include Chicago-based Sarah Wake, who takes on both contentious and advisory mandates, and Virginia-based Michele McKinnon, who majors on providing tax compliance assistance to universities and their affiliated foundations. In Atlanta, Shelby Guilbert routinely works on insurance recovery actions, contract disputes, and cross-border litigation.

The practice at Norton Rose Fulbright is routinely called upon by academic medical centers, public and private universities, and their boards, directors, and foundations for its education law expertise. Key areas of practice for the group include transactional, regulatory, and IP support, as well as litigation. The department is jointly directed by two partners who also co-lead the firm’s US healthcare practice. St. Louis-based Stacey Murphy focuses on transactional mandates and the structuring of management services agreements and professional services agreements, while the Houston-based Susan Feigin Harris majors on corporate governance, regulatory, and compliance work. Additional key contacts include New York-based healthcare transactional and regulatory specialist Andrew Roth, who specializes in corporate transactions and medical school accreditation matters. Dallas-based senior counsel Jennifer McDaniel is well-versed in state licensing and federal enrollment and reimbursement matters.