Danielle Conley and Jude Volek joined the team at Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP in May 2026 from Latham & Watkins.

Combining ‘best-in-class knowledge’ and the ‘experience to advise on high-profile strategic transactions’, the education team at Hogan Lovells US LLP draws on firm-wide expertise to support high-profile clients. William Ferreira heads the firm’s global government contracts and education practice, leveraging extensive government contracts expertise to advise clients in their dealings with the U.S. government as well as in international matters, with particular experience in U.S. federal funding for scientific research. Stephanie Gold, at the helm of the domestic and international education team, advises on compliance, investigations, mergers, and strategic initiatives. Intercollegiate athletics is a key area for Joel Buckman, who has experience handling a range of equality, diversity, and inclusion-related matters. Clients praise the ‘network of attorneys’ across a range of practice areas in the U.S. and internationally, who provide ‘seamless’ advice. Megan Wilson has longstanding experience in the education sector and regularly advises clients on regulatory matters. The team is based in Washington, D.C.

The education team at Husch Blackwell LLP is characterized by ‘comprehensive knowledge, practical leadership insight, and a full understanding of the regulatory, legal, and accreditation landscape facing higher educational institutions.’ It handles a full range of compliance, operations, and litigation matters, with notable experience in NCAA compliance, Title IX issues, and federal student aid. At the helm of the team in Kansas City, Sean Tassi provides a range of advisory support, including data privacy expertise, representing clients domestically and internationally. Hayley Hanson, also in Kansas City, established and co-leads the team, with experience handling the most sensitive matters involving social media, assault allegations, and issues relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In Chicago, Lisa Parker combines litigation and education experience and is a key name for investigations work. ‘Commercially-minded’ John Borkowski, also Chicago-based, handles a wide range of civil rights and educational funding issues. Marisa De Feo is based in Washington, D.C., and handles higher education disputes, including employment issues, tenure disputes, and student conduct matters.

The higher education practice at King & Spalding draws together attorneys from the firm’s business litigation, product liability, and government investigations teams to offer a wide range of expertise to high-profile education clients. Its work spans regulatory matters, transactions, developments, and funding. The team has particular expertise with academic medical centers, handling accreditation matters, False Claims Act litigation, and joint operating agreements. Houston-based team head Adam Robison is a key name for this healthcare work, particularly regarding medical schools. Also in Houston, Kristin Roshelli handles a range of transactional work in the medical education space, and Sara Brinkmann is recommended for her disputes work, including contract and business tort disputes, antitrust litigation, and products liability matters. Brinkmann is noted for her expertise in False Claims Act matters. In Washington, D.C., Dan Donovan is the go-to for government investigations, including those related to COVID-19 vaccines and testing. Alfonso Chan departed the team in April 2025.

WilmerHale‘s education practice combines experience in anti-discrimination matters, employment law, and Congressional investigations to support a range of high-profile higher education clients. Its work involving the Supreme Court’s consideration of racial and cultural background in admissions is a particular stand-out, alongside internal investigations regarding allegations of abuse. Lisa Brown joined the team in Washington, D.C., as practice head in February, from her position as general counsel of the U.S. Department of Education, bringing longstanding experience in the sector. Also in D.C., Seth Waxman leads the firm’s appellate practice and regularly handles complex work in the education sphere. Bruce Berman remains a key name within the D.C.-based team, while in Boston, George Varghese is recommended. D.C.-based Tania Faransso regularly handles high-stakes civil rights audits, culture reviews, and investigations involving allegations of sexual misconduct. Debo Adegbile chairs the anti-discrimination practice in New York, and Felicia Ellsworth, in Boston, is a trial lawyer particularly recommended for government-facing litigation and investigations.

Praised for its ‘great knowledge of government investigations and areas of particular scrutiny’, the education team at Akin handles a wide range of domestic and international matters in the sector. Its expertise spans sponsored research, clinical trials, education policy, and data privacy, and extends to Title IX obligations and Title IV issues.  His work involves False Claims Act cases related to federal research funds and includes matters regarding alleged foreign influence. Also in D.C., Marta Thompson is recommended for her ability to ‘provide clear, practical advice.’ Thompson is particularly experienced in government contracts and grants work. Michael Vernick has left the firm.

The Boston-based education team at Choate, Hall & Stewart regularly works with universities and academic medical centers, leading internal reviews, responding to whistleblower complaints, and providing advice on potential security concerns. Team head Christine Savage combines expertise in large government investigations and ongoing internal compliance matters, with experience assisting clients at all stages of the research cycle. Mark McPherson regularly represents clients in matters involving healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and False Claims Act issues. For employment matters, Alison Reif is the go-to, while Cameron Casey leverages wealth management expertise to handle charitable giving issues, an area also of strength for Sarah Tomeo Hertzog. The team is recommended for its ability to ‘mesh science with law,’ drawing on Savage’s experience supporting academic medical centers and clinical research institutions.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP‘s higher education practice draws on strength from the firm’s class actions, employment, constitutional law, and white collar defense teams, amongst others, to support a range of major educational and research institutions in both litigation and transactional matters. Its experience includes handling high-exposure class actions, particularly regarding risk reduction, crisis management, and public relations challenges, with growing expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion related issues. Debra Wong Yang, based in Los Angeles, is recommended for matters at the intersection of crisis management and white collar defense and investigations, with additional expertise regarding data privacy. In Washington, D.C., Jason Schwartz is the key name for employment issues, while Michael D. Bopp  is the go-to for congressional investigations.

Latham & Watkins fields an education team with extensive government experience, handling anti-discrimination and civil rights matters, government investigations, and class action lawsuits as well as real estate matters and tax issues. In Washington DC, Jonathan Su is a key name for congressional inquiries and investigations. Rhea Fernandes offers notable expertise in regards to gender policy, civil rights, and workplace culture. Danielle Conley and Jude Volek departed the team in May 2026.

The education industry team at McGuireWoods LLP leverages its team members’ longstanding experience in the sector to handle high-stakes federal investigations, crisis response, and enforcement actions, as well as advising on civil rights and student-conduct litigation. Its work in the Title IX, discrimination, and DEI space is also noted. Farnaz Thompson co-chairs the team from Washington DC, representing clients involved in complex government investigations. In Chicago, Sarah Wake co-chairs the group with an emphasis on matters involving diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges. For issues involving non-profit and tax-exempt status, Michele McKinnon, also in Richmond, is the go-to. In DC, Jack White is recommended for work with private K-12 institutions and has particular experience supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Norton Rose Fulbright‘s universities and academic medical centers practice draws on expertise across its business, disputes, and intellectual property teams. Its work in the medical education field is a particular standout, supporting graduate and undergraduate programs with accreditation and compliance matters. The team also advises education sector clients on transactional work, including joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and other multi-organization structures. Practice co-head Stacey Murphy, in Missouri, specializes in the healthcare sector, with notable experience in both regulatory issues and structuring academic affiliations. In Texas, co-head Susan Feigin Harris is particularly experienced in supporting children’s hospitals with Medicaid-related issues, and Gina Shishima offers deep intellectual property and patent expertise. Andrew Roth, in New York, is the go-to for accreditation of graduate medical education programs in academic medical centers and teaching hospitals.

The interdisciplinary education team at O'Melveny takes on a range of litigation, regulatory matters, and investigations for clients in the higher education space. Its areas of expertise include Title IX cases, athletics-related matters, and Title VI litigation. Matt Cowan co-heads the practice from Los Angeles and is recommended for sensitive internal investigations, federal and state enforcement agency inquiries, and related criminal and civil litigation. Jennifer Sokoler, practice co-head in New York, focuses on defending institutional clients in lawsuits involving sexual misconduct, student speech policies, and campus security. Apalla Chopra remains a key name in the Los Angeles team, drawing on labor and employment law expertise to support clients in complex Title IX and Clery Act investigations, as well as an increasing volume of work related to Title VI matters.

Praised for its ‘amazing client service’, the education sector team at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP brings together attorneys from across the firm’s litigation, government investigations, real estate, IP, nonprofit, and employment practices to support higher education clients. Practice co-head Jeffrey P. Metzler, in New York, advises clients on complex civil rights defense, investigations, and compliance strategy. His expertise includes Title IX matters and discrimination related disputes. In San Francisco, co-head Jacob Sorensen leverages deep antitrust expertise to handle a range of class actions, contract disputes, and corporate governance matters.

The ‘exceptional’ team at Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman combines expertise across research misconduct, student defense, and Title IX investigations. Washington DC-based Paul Thaler chairs the research misconduct group, handling allegations of plagiarism, falsification, data fabrication, and academic fraud more broadly. The team has particular experience with matters concerning government funding and access to grants, including where international scientists are facing increased scrutiny. Student defense work includes issues from academic misconduct to code of conduct violations across public and private institutions. Ashling Ehrhardt heads both the student defense and Title IX teams from Philadelphia. In DC, Julie Grohovsky is a key name for high school and college student clients who have been victim of sexual assault or harassment, with experience across Title IX proceedings and also related criminal proceedings.

The education team at Cooley LLP is recommended for its ‘proactive focus on the digital education market’, with its education technology sector expertise praised for a ‘rare combination of deep sector fluency and practical, business-oriented legal advice’. The team also handles a range of Title IV issues, accreditation appeals, and change in ownership transactions, and supports pioneering new models for for educational institutions. Jay Vaughan heads the practice from Washington DC, often advising colleges and alternative content providers on navigating regulatory change with strategic planning. In San Diego, Naomi May has expertise supporting clients from early education to EdTech companies and established universities, and Kate Lee Carey is ‘fantastic’.

Cozen O'Connor‘s education practice provides support to clients across the sector in matters including labor and employment issues, internal investigations, risk management, and government affairs. The team also has noted experience supporting university clients with data privacy compliance and developing security protocols. Its client base spans pre-K and K-12 institutions, as well as public and private universities. Sandi Dubin, Maureen Holland, and Mariah Passarelli co-head the team. Dubin, based in New York, draws on longstanding experience in labor and employment matters for higher education clients, representing employers in collective bargaining negotiations, labor arbitrations, and litigation. Holland, in Philadelphia, focuses on policies to prevent and address discrimination, harassment, and interpersonal harm. Also in Philadelphia, Leslie Gomez is recommended for her work supporting institutions in responding to sexual- and gender-based harassment and violence.

Duane Morris LLP‘s education team supports clients from K-12 to postsecondary institutions, including charter, virtual, and private schools, as well as vocational schools, proprietary colleges, and high-profile universities. The team is also well versed in the EdTech sector, working with the firm’s corporate and intellectual property colleagues to support clients in this space. In San Diego, Anthony Guida has experience across licensing and accreditation, institutional governance, and government affairs. Also in San Diego, Edward Cramp regularly supports higher education clients, while in Philadelphia, Daniel R. Walworth is the key name for litigation matters. Washington, D.C.-based Katherine Brodie leads the national education law and policy group, often supporting mission-driven educational institutions and working alongside Kristina Gill, noted for her experience in federal regulatory processes. Lisa Scruggs is the key name in Chicago.

The Eversheds Sutherland education team has longstanding experience in the sector, handling highly-contested matters for large school districts nationally as well as acting for state governments. The team also works with prominent public and private colleges, investors in higher education, and companies operating in the sector. Rocco Testani, in Atlanta, co-heads the firm’s global litigation offering and leads the education sector team, representing state and government officials in school finance matters. In Washington DC, Stanley Freeman advises educational institutions on regulatory compliance matters, strategic issues, and licensure and accreditation. Also in the Atlanta team, Stacey McGavin Mohr has particular experience in civil rights matters as well as education-funding litigation, Anthony Del Giudice is a key name for matters regarding college athletics, and Lee Peifer is also a key name.

Hecker Fink LLP fields a growing education team with a range of government experience, regularly handling a range of matters including employment, student misconduct, Title VI, Title IX, and athletics issues. Team head Gabrielle Tenzer, in New York, represents high profile higher education institutions in complex litigation and pre-litigation matters. ‘Gifted lawyer’ Marshall Miller, also in New York, joined the team in March 2025 from the Department of Justice, advising clients in relation to government inquiries and sensitive internal investigations. In Los Angeles, Mack Jenkins joined the team in February 2025 from the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and is recommended for his ‘deep expertise’.

The higher education and private schools team at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is headed by Gerard Leone, based in Boston, who also leads the firm’s risk management and special situations group. Leone’s work spans regulatory, compliance, and ethics issues for clients in the education space, including both internal and governmental investigations. Brigid Harrington and Amy Fabiano joined the Boston team in January 2025. Harrington focuses on civil rights compliance, with experience in Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX matters, along with athletics compliance. Fabiano is noted for higher education leadership, labor and employment, and student affairs. In Washington, D.C., Ryan Bates and Michael Levine are recommended.