Hogan Lovells US LLP ‘has an education law practice that can serve global needs’, with co-head of the Washington DC-based practice William Ferreira having ‘exceptional experience advising higher education institutions in their international activities’. Core to Ferreira’s practice is government grants and contracts and international projects spanning university relationships in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. On the globalization front, he routinely advises on study abroad and international academic programs. Alongside him, global education head Stephanie Gold puts her deep knowledge of education sector regulations to use on a broad spectrum of matters ranging from highly sensitive regulatory compliance matters to government investigations and M&A work. Other areas of focus for the team include research, particularly issues surrounding integrity, misconduct, conflicts of interest and foreign influence. Education regulatory lawyer Joel Buckman stands out for representing higher education institutions on issues related to claims under, and compliance with, federal regulations including repayment claims under Title IV and Section 117 compliance reviews. Megan Wilson is highlighted for her support on these high-stakes compliance issues. All aforementioned lawyers are located in Washington DC.

Lauded for being ‘an essential resource for any higher education institution’, the group at Husch Blackwell LLP has a deep bench of specialists operating in the full gamut of regulatory, contentious and transactional education mandates. The team’s key strengths include handling sensitive compliance reviews, high-profile investigations and transactions such as change of control processes involving mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Co-leading the team from Kansas City, Hayley Hanson is relied upon by private and public universities and colleges, major research institutions and academic medical centers. Also in Kansas City, team lead Sean Tassi provides clients with day-to-day counseling on federal and state regulations and online offerings. Leading the group’s accreditor practice, Chicago-based Julie Miceli has carved out a strong niche supporting accreditors navigating the revision of accrediting standards with respect to their diversity, equity and inclusion goals and regulations. Another integral member of the firm’s Chicago office is Lisa Parker who routinely represents higher education institutions in litigation before trial and appellate courts.

King & Spalding LLP's comprehensive practice assists universities and academic medical centers with contentious and non-contentious matters including False Claims Act litigation, investigations, funding matters, and advisory work related to intellectual property (IP). The team is led by Adam Robison in Houston, whose central focus is academic medical centers and medical schools. Providing counsel on project funding and construction is another area in which the team excels, advising clients on securing federal funding and grants from local counties. Located in the Washington D.C. office, investigations specialist Dan Donovan is also noted, particularly due to his experience with matters relating to COVID-19 vaccines and testing. IP expert Alfonso Chan joined the firm in Austin from McKool Smith in 2023.

Ropes & Gray LLP‘s education practice has particular strengths in corporate and finance matters from endowments and student aid to employee benefit programs and charitable giving. The team also stands out for its expertise in academic medicine, research and healthcare, representing academic medical centers in both contentious and non-contentious matters. Practice head Kendi Ozmon specializes in advising universities on the tax aspect of grants, gifts and the commercialization of research. Employee benefits expert Ellen Benson is a go-to for universities developing their employee retirement, health and welfare plans. Mike Mcgrath concentrates his practice on the intersection of healthcare and education, handling public finance, M&A, reorganizations and Title IV issues. All lawyers mentioned are based in Boston.

WilmerHale ‘s education practice maintains a strong reputation, with an impressive track record in litigation related to race-based admissions policies and sexual misconduct allegations as well as in internal and congressional investigations. The team also has deep experience counseling educational institutions on compliance with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Bruce Berman in the Washington D.C. office is at the helm of the practice and focuses on standardized educational testing, Title IX, and campus sexual misconduct. In the same office, Seth Waxman is a leading appellate lawyer and routinely handles highly sensitive investigations. Federal investigations and False Claims Act litigation is key to New York-based Debo Adegbile‘s workload while Felicia Ellsworth is a first-chair trial lawyer who represents clients in both state and federal courts. Another key member of the team is Tania Faransso, located in Washington D.C.

The education practice at Akin handles a range of education matters, with the team’s workload consisting of both federal and internal investigations, litigation and research advisory work. Washington DC-based Michael Vernick is at the helm of the practice and is especially active on False Claim Act cases which extends into several aspects of education including government research funding, contracts and grants and research misconduct.  Another notable practitioner in Washington DC is Marta Thompson, who is an expert in compliance obligations associated with federally funded contracts. Scott Barnard in Dallas and Anthony Pierce in Washington D.C. are well-positioned to advise educational institutions on class action lawsuits.

Research universities and medical institutions rely on the education group at Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP for advice on compliance risks associated with relationships with foreign entities, scientific misconduct and conflicts of interest. The Boston-based practice is well equipped to handle whistleblower allegations, harassment or bullying, foreign influence, and federal grants management. Leadership is split between four practice heads: Christine Savage assists clients with internal reviews and foreign influence mandates while Michael Gass is a go-to for admissions and financial aid matters. The other co-heads are Alison Reif who covers sexual misconduct, Title IX investigations and investigations of fraud and Cameron Casey who leads on planned giving, charitable trust and complex asset gift matters for tax-exempt colleges, universities and academic medical centers. Rounding out the team's multidisciplinary bench is employment specialist Lyndsey Kruzer, and Mark McPherson has focused his practice on government and internal investigations involving healthcare and securities fraud,and research misconduct.

Cozen O'Connor is characterized by its ‘expert subject matter knowledge on issues related to sex discrimination’. Academic institutions engage the higher education team to review their policies on sexual harassment and misconduct. Alongside its strengths in handling Title IX matters, the firm is adept at supporting research institutions with intellectual property law issues. Another area where the firm shines is employment, representing universities in a range of labor matters, including unionization and breach of contract. Alan M. Pittler and Mariah L. Passarelli jointly lead the team with Maureen P. Holland, who advises educational institutions on addressing discrimination and sex- and gender-based harassment. Praised for being a ‘strong advocate’, Leslie M. Gomez is known for designing institutional responses to misconduct that integrate complex federal and state regulations. On the employment front, Daniel V. Johns is a skilled litigator who advises universities on the full gamut of employment law issues. Gina Maisto is an expert on the intersection of trauma-informed internal processes at universities and the wider legal and regulatory framework. The practice also benefits from the expertise of Boulder-based IP litigator Curtis Vock and Chicago-based employment specialist Anna Wermuth. Sandi F. Dublin joined from Ogletree Deakins in June 2024. All lawyers are based in Philadelphia unless otherwise mentioned.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s cross-functional team represents educational institutions in class and mass actions related to labor and employment, antitrust, student conduct, intellectual property, and student financial aid. The team is also adept on the transactional front, advising universities on construction and development projects as well as intellectual property law issues. Located in LA, Debra Wong Yang is a key practitioner in the sector and focuses on investigations while commercial litigator expert Cynthia Chen McTerna is also noted.

A unique feature of Latham & Watkins LLP’s education team is that it is made up of former government lawyers, providing deep expertise in the area of congressional and counseling on compliance with federal civil rights laws. The team excels in contentious matters and has extensive experience in class action cases. Heading up the team is the chair of the firm’s anti-discrimination and civil rights practice, Danielle Conley. Conley is well-versed in internal reviews on racial and gender equity and compliance reviews pertaining to federal civil rights laws. Jonathan Su specializes in congressional inquiries while counsel Jude Volek, who joined from the Office of the White House Counsel, handles a range of equity-related issues. The trio are based in Washington DC.

Government investigations, Title IV compliance, civil rights and education-related labor and employment matters, covering faculty members and student-athletes are some of the core areas of practice of the broad education group at McGuireWoods LLP. The firm routinely assists higher education institutions, K-12 schools, academic medical centers but also presidents and coaches, especially is contract negotiations. Washington DC-based Farnaz Thompson leads the department and handles litigation and investigations before federal agencies. Another highlighted contact is Chicago-based Sarah Wake, who handles both contentious and advisory mandates, and Virginia-based Michele McKinnon, who specializes in assisting universities and their affiliated foundations on tax and planned giving matters. Insurance recovery expert Shelby Guilbert in Atlanta is also noted.

Medical education is the mainstay of Norton Rose Fulbright‘s multidisciplinary education practice which is sought out by both undergraduate medical education and graduate medical education levels as well as academic medical centers. Core to the practice is the team’s speciality in accreditation, handling accreditation-related compliance reviews and representing medical schools and GME teaching institutions in administrative hearings to challenge adverse accreditation determinations. Other strengths include transactional, IP, and regulatory advice related to research misconduct. The department is jointly steered by two partners who also co-lead the firm’s US healthcare practice: St. Louis-based Stacey Murphy and Houston-based Susan Feigin Harris. Located in the New York office, Andrew Roth is an expert in medical school accreditation and regularly counsels institutions and teaching programs with periodic reviews. Dallas-based senior counsel Jennifer McDaniel handles policy reviews and audits while Austin-based Gina Shishima is praised for being ‘a very strategic IP practitioner’.

O'Melveny‘s interdisciplinary team combines expertise in employment law, white-collar defence, and appellate advocacy. The education department is active in Title IX, athletics and Title VI matters representing educational institutions in litigation and sensitive investigations. The group’s lead Apalla Chopra from LA is a seasoned litigator and has recently handled major lawsuits, including class actions. Anton Metlitsky is another skilled litigator, operating out of the New York office. In LA, Adam Karr‘s practice focuses on labor and employment-related claims while co-chair of the litigation department Steven Olson‘s workload consists of internal investigations. Over in Washington DC, Meaghan VerGow is noted for her experience in commercial litigation.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's interdisciplinary education team represents higher education institutions on litigation, investigations, and claims for discrimination and defamation. Among its clients is Stanford University, which the firm is representing in a financial aid antitrust litigation. The team is co-led by skilled litigator Jacob Sorensen from San Francisco who is particularly adept at class actions, contract disputes and anti-trust litigation. Over in New York, co-lead Jeffrey P. Metzler specializes in civil rights claims spanning race, gender, and disability discrimination and routinely advises on government investigations. Located in Washington DC, another key attorney is William Sullivan, who focuses mainly on internal investigations.

The group at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman has three key areas of speciality: research misconduct allegations, the defence of students against academic and student code violations and Title IX investigations. The team has developed a strong focus on advising individual students and faculty members which 'sets them apart', but also has significant experience as counsel to major universities. The education department is steered by two seasoned partners. Washington D.C.-based co-head Paul Thaler provides comprehensive advice on all aspects of research misconduct, from plagiarism and data falsification to grant and research fraud. Co-leading from Philadelphia, Ashling Ehrhardt was recently promoted in January 2024 and is growing the firm’s Title IX Group, serving as investigator, advisor and policy reviewer in Title IX matters. Shanlon Wu departed the firm in June 2024.

Duane Morris LLP‘s education group has a varied client roster, including universities, vocational schools and higher education associations, accreditors and investors. Accreditation is a key concentration for the firm alongside its focus on student litigation, transactional matters and regulatory reviews. Leadership is split between five partners. In San Diego, co-lead Anthony Guida has experience in licensing and accreditation, focusing his practice on PreK-12, postsecondary, and EdTech while Edward Cramp has a broad practice covering accreditation as well as regulatory compliance, litigation and transactions. Katherine Brodie in Washington D.C handles Title IV and Title IX compliance while Chicago-based litigator Lisa Scruggs and Philadelphia-based Daniel R. Walworth, who specializes in internal investigations and enforcement actions, round out the leadership.

Eversheds Sutherland‘s education practice is active in civil rights, diversity and related litigation matters, for which it is sought out by large school districts and state governments. The firm also represents private and public colleges and universities on advisory and compliance review mandates related to federal student financial assistance programs, institutional accreditation and licensure. In the Atlanta office, global litigation co-lead Rocco Testani guides the team and represents clients in disputes and litigation in federal and state courts on education funding, civil rights and constitutional law cases. Co-head Stanley Freeman in Washington D.C. draws on over two decades of experience to provide counsel on program reviews, audits and changes in ownership and control. Also located in Atlanta, litigator Stacey McGavin Mohr represents clients in business disputes and education funding at the trial and appellate levels while Lee Peifer is well-versed in arbitration and education litigation. Anthony Del Giudice joined the team in Atlanta from the NCAA in October 2024.