More than 250 higher education clients trust Husch Blackwell attorneys to handle their compliance, operations, and litigation legal services, allowing them to focus on their educational mission. Our higher education clients include major research institutions, academic medical centers, religiously affiliated institutions, regional universities, private colleges, nursing and allied health schools, community colleges, proprietary schools, and publicly traded school groups.
With more than 40 attorneys, our Higher Education law group is one of the largest such practices in the United States. The law firm's higher education group includes attorneys with decades of experience resolving the most complex challenges confronting colleges and universities. Several of our education attorneys gained valuable industry insights while serving as in-house counsel at educational institutions, major corporations, and government agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice.
We supply higher education institutions with top-level comprehensive policy and procedure audits, as well as in-depth systems audits, to identify and remedy potential liabilities. Our team provides access to model and customized policies to help meet program requirements, as well as any necessary training.
We understand the central role athletics play in institutional identity and student life—a role that makes NCAA compliance a matter of great importance. We represent NCAA Division I, II, and III colleges and universities in NCAA enforcement investigations and alleged infractions cases; guide colleges, universities, and student-athletes through NCAA regulatory processes (NCAA waivers, NCAA student-athlete eligibility matters, and NCAA amateurism cases); conduct independent investigations and culture and climate reviews of sport programs; and provide comprehensive NCAA athletics compliance assessments. Our experienced attorneys, led by a former NCAA investigator, also closely track potential NCAA rule changes.
We draft policies, review and update student handbooks, and provide comprehensive training on scenarios such as student discipline, complaints of faculty, and dismissal. We also conduct investigations of alleged student misconduct and recommend options for resolution under existing institutional policies. Our team has vast experience in matters involving Title IX/sexual harassment, the Clery Act, the First Amendment, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
As a nationally recognized provider of Title IX training, our team has a deep understanding of the legal and practical issues inherent in proactively addressing potential campus sexual misconduct and related retaliation. We regularly provide legal guidance on Title IX compliance and conduct comprehensive compliance reviews, and we have extensive experience investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and gender discrimination. We also support institutions in connection with investigations conducted by the Office for Civil Rights and are well-versed in negotiating resolution agreements, including those associated with high-profile cases. Further details about our Title IX work are available here.
We understand that Federal Student Aid is not only a lifeline for students but also critical in sustaining institutions. Our Higher Education team helps clients obtain initial approval to participate in the Title IV student aid programs and advises on their continued participation. We provide experienced and effective representation when institutions are faced with adverse audit or program review findings. Further details about our Title IV work are available here.
Our team regularly defends clients in litigation involving civil rights, class actions, the False Claims Act, and contracts. From the start of an investigation through its resolution, our clients receive guidance and advocacy from our experienced trial attorneys.
We help higher education institutions with a full range of education-specific matters and compliance issues, such as tenure, employee benefits, immigration, compensation, discrimination, internal revenue, and collective bargaining issues.
We have extensive experience serving institutions facing critical decisions that will shape their futures. With an eye towards the institution-specific, operational, and aspirational considerations that impact these decisions, we provide the legal expertise and guidance needed for complex transactions. We assist institutions in navigating accreditation, U.S. Department of Education, and state and corporate legal and regulatory requirements, as well as the practical implications of these transactions for faculty, staff, students, programs, and policies. Over the last few years, we have assisted more than 20 institutions through change of control processes involving mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Further details about our transaction work are available here.
How to think about the coming year and the issues that will drive the conversation around college sports.
Just under half (49.41%) of survey respondents indicated that their institution has no formal document describing the independent medical model of care adopted by their school.
Issues in Higher Education Webinar Series
Registration for this training has closed. For additional information, please contact Emily Schumacher.
Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that Steve Owens has joined the firm’s Kansas City office as senior counsel in its Higher Education practice group after serving as the general counsel of the University of Missouri System for the past 14 years.
Anderson brings a diverse background to her practice with service as in-house counsel to a global healthcare and technology education provider as well as a state university.
The platform operates as an all-in-one tool to assist with the delivery and execution of compliance requirements by all stakeholders in higher education athletic programs.
The Centurions Leadership Program is a two-year immersion in leadership and community engagement activities.
The Missouri Bar presents its Pro Bono Publico Awards annually to attorneys who have rendered outstanding pro bono service to indigent or low-income persons in need of legal assistance.
The 30 members of the 2019 class were chosen from nearly 300 nominations.
What makes Husch Blackwell an uncommon firm to work with, I think, are the relationships you can develop and the trust that evolves over time…We operate in many instances like a small city; we have thousands of people on our campuses. On any given day, we have housing, we have real estate, we have student issues, we have athletics, we have dining, we have all sorts of types of employees, and Husch Blackwell’s industry expertise in those areas makes them a go-to call for any issue that comes up…The organizational wide support Husch Blackwell can offer is an incredible benefit to the school.