WilmerHale understands the range of challenges colleges and universities are facing today. Our work on behalf of education clients goes back decades and has touched on many of the most complex issues arising in higher education in recent years. We help colleges and universities navigate a changing compliance environment, government investigations, reputational crises, and congressional inquiries. We advise them on evolving government regulations and guidance, represent them in high-profile litigation, partner with them on internal investigations, help them protect their people and work, defend their intellectual property, and handle major transactions. Whether assisting schools confronting contentious policy issues or advising on technical legal requirements, our advice takes into account our clients’ unique missions, management and governance.

Our Higher Education practice offers a deep bench of lawyers with a variety of critical experience and insights relevant to the education sector. Our team includes a former general counsel for the US Department of Education and former general counsel of a private research university, as well as attorneys who have served in senior positions in the executive branch and Congress. The team draws on our colleagues’ extensive experience in litigation, business matters, and public policy, allowing us to provide schools with the full range of advice needed on complex matters.  

Our comprehensive range of services includes:

• Anti-discrimination matters, including regarding Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and other federal and state anti-discrimination statutes;
• Employment matters, including employment contracts and tenure; and employee misconduct;
• Student and campus matters, including admissions and financial aid, athletics, testing, free speech, and campus security;
• Congressional investigations and public policy, including congressional inquiries and guidance on legislative affairs;
• Tax-exempt activity, including lobbying and political activity;
• Accreditation and Title IV eligibility and compliance;
• Contracts, grants, and sponsored research, including compliance, agreement counseling research misconduct and the False Claims Act;
• Transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, research collaboratives, technology transfers, and licensing;
• International matters, including export controls, foreign investment, foreign gift and contracts reporting and visas;
• Intellectual property matters, including patent commercialization and prosecution, licensing, and technology transfer; and
• Matters drawing on our experience in other areas, including antitrust, cybersecurity and privacy.