Overview
The representation of education institutions is a core competency of Carlton Fields. We regularly represent educational institutions of all types and sizes, including private and public colleges and universities, independent primary and secondary schools, charter schools, nonprofit and proprietary institutions, school districts, and businesses that service the education sector.
We offer a holistic approach, leveraging the collective skills of a team of attorneys across a wide range of disciplines to address the unique and diverse issues facing educational institutions. We routinely counsel institutions on issues involving employment and labor, employee benefits, banking and finance, government contracts, advocacy, intellectual property and technology, cyber defense and breach response, and regulatory compliance. Our lawyers are widely recognized as possessing a practical, business-oriented approach.
We have deep experience in the complexities representing institutions involved in litigation and investigations. We seek innovative solutions to complex problems, always mindful that a “win” can come in a variety of forms. We regularly represent colleges and universities in Title IX investigations and litigation, including so-called reverse Title IX cases, brought by male students accused of sexual misconduct. Recently, we represented a private university through an OCR investigation of the gender equity of its Division I athletics program.
Our representation spans a wide array of matters, including:
- Board governance
- Employment and labor issues
- Student discipline
- Sexual misconduct investigations
- Disability and accommodation issues
- Faculty matters
- Risk management
- Litigation
- Gender equity in athletics under Title IX
- Training and compliance under Title IX
- Sexual harassment and assault investigations
- Whistleblower investigations
- Government relations and advocacy
- Cybersecurity defense and data breach response
- IP protection and technology transfer
- Regulatory compliance