Overview

Robinson Bradshaw understands the particular challenges educational institutions face, and we have substantial experience solving our clients' problems in this unique and rapidly changing sector. We work to understand your institution's culture, and we then approach issues with an interdisciplinary team of lawyers who leverage their expertise and insight in a wide variety of subject matters ranging from Title IX to tax laws and from employment disputes to eminent domain.

Our team includes lawyers with a background in higher education, and we know the sector's goals differ from other nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies. We guide clients through complex questions regarding employment law, finance, tax, real estate and complex litigation matters.

Some of the entities we serve:

Private colleges and universities
Public colleges and universities
Private secondary schools
Public teaching hospital
Charter schools
Scholarship foundations and other school-affiliated nonprofits
Education-affiliated investment funds
Athletic conferences

Clients call on us to assist with:

Title IX compliance and sexual misconduct guidance
Employment counseling, litigation prevention and defense
Federal regulatory compliance assistance (e.g., Title VII, FMLA, ADA, FERPA, Clery Act)
Student and faculty disciplinary proceedings
Faculty tenure proceedings
Dispute resolution (litigation and pre-litigation)
Internal and governmental investigations
Insurance and risk mitigation analysis
Land use and real estate guidance
Transactional services
Nonprofit and foundation formation and administration
Bond issuances for tax-exempt financing

Experience

Counsel private university concerning Title IX student-on-student sexual misconduct allegations and related disciplinary proceedings.
Advise private university concerning termination of employment of tenured faculty in connection with claims of sex-based discrimination.
Defend public state university in antitrust class action lawsuit alleging anti-competitive faculty hiring practices.
Review and advise private university in updating and revising Title IX policies.
Represent several athletic conferences on various issues, including media contracts; sponsorship agreements; name, image and likeness disputes; government investigations; employment counseling; NCAA compliance; and litigation. Current litigation work includes defense of conference defendant in federal class action antitrust lawsuit regarding restraints on payment of student athletes and bodily injury concussion class actions.
Assist private university with FERPA and HIPAA compliance in responding to request for information from third-party subpoena.
Defend public state university in trade secrets and contract dispute involving pharmacy school's alleged misuse of research database.
Defend private university in lawsuit by former administrator under Family and Medical Leave Act.
Defend private university in race discrimination claims by faculty and staff members in federal court and before administrative agencies.
Advise private university on faculty tenure decisions and issues.
Defend public teaching hospital in lawsuit alleging breach of contract by dismissed faculty member.
Advise private university in connection with risk management and insurance-related matters.
Advise university concerning academic integrity disciplinary actions and review of policies concerning same.
Organize and represent nonprofit organization responsible for the management of investments for university-affiliated entities.
Assist private university with land use and zoning issues in connection with expansion of facilities in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Represent numerous charter schools in a variety of challenges to statutory and regulatory requirements.
Represent education institutions in tax-exempt financing through bonds issuances.