Education

The attorneys at The Lynch Law Group have a thorough understanding of the challenges facing educational institutions, from Pre-K through 12 schools to colleges and universities. We draw on deep experience offering a full range of legal services targeted to the needs of academic clients.

Pre-K through 12 Schools

The attorneys in our Education Practice Group provide a broad range of services to Pre-K through 12 schools and school districts, including:

  • IDEA/Title 1/Students with Disabilities/IEPs and 504 plans/FAPE
  • Claims/Disability Discrimination
  • School closures
  • School Board Representation
  • Special Counsel Representation
  • Service as Solicitor

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools

Our extensive representative experience in higher education includes the following:

  • Managed internal and external audits and investigations for colleges and universities including a comprehensive institutional audit by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
  • Prepared responses to Freedom of Information Act requests directed to colleges and universities
  • Managed outside counsel for universities
  • Represented multiple universities and tried to verdict malpractice claims against colleges and universities
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities on workplace monitoring, internet use/cell phones/email, and workplace surveillance
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities on record retention and storage and data privacy and security issues including FERPA and HIPAA
  • Assisted multiple colleges and universities with complex progressive discipline and discharge of employees, including multiple tenured faculty members and senior leaders at large and small colleges and universities
  • Provided comprehensive legal services and administrative advice for more than 50 separately accredited residency and fellowship programs in multiple medical schools, teaching hospitals, and universities rated institutional self-study documents for regional accreditation, including chairing self-study committees
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities regarding assessment and accreditation issues regarding a variety of regional and national accrediting bodies, including but not limited to the Higher Learning Commission, Middle States, NCACS, LCME, ACGME, CEPH, DCA, and CCNE
  • Advised and defended multiple colleges and universities in litigation related to workplace injuries and wrongful death allegations, employment discrimination, EEOC proceedings, allegations of academic misconduct, Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave Act, Freedom of Speech and Religion claims, student health and safety issues including student search and seizure, access to counseling services, vaccinations, and online harassment issues, allegations of sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, and sexual assault
  • Represented universities in OCR Complaints
  • Defended multiple colleges and universities in Title IX claims
  • Represented multiple university athletic programs in NCAA compliance issues and at hearings before the NCAA in Indianapolis
  • Advised a university regarding policies related to firearms on campus and in dorms
  • Assisted with arranging and overseeing first-party shooter drills and on-campus emergency training for students, staff, and faculty at multiple universities
  • Managed routine operational issues for colleges and universities including program closures, loss of accreditation, major construction projects, service contracts, and real estate gifts and acquisitions
  • Advised multiple universities regarding issues surrounding mandatory reporting of allegations or signs of abuse
  • Advised multiple universities regarding crisis communications and legal issues surrounding student and faculty deaths, including suicides, on campus
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities regarding issues related to board governance
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities regarding issues related to faculty/immigration issues
  • Advised multiple colleges and universities regarding issues related to government relations
  • Assisted with initiating and obtaining accreditation with CEPH for a new Graduate School of Public Health
  • Assisted universities and their professional schools in claims related to denied university admission, including discrimination claims
  • Defended universities against fraudulent misrepresentations by faculty in areas including credentials, continuing education, purchasing, research, and prior education
  • Led and participated in strategic planning efforts at multiple universities as well as drafted strategic plans and created dashboards and KPI for tracking of those plans
  • Provided legal advice to and chaired university Faculty Grievance, Tenure, and Faculty Review Committees
  • Assisted with the creation of international linkages for universities, including drafting Memoranda of Understanding and teaching internationally as a visiting professor
  • Advised regarding operations of a Foreign Medical School and study abroad programming
  • Assisted with the creation of a Clinical Translational Science Institute
  • Assisted with the merger and acquisition of institutions of higher  education