LAWYERS NEW TO HIGHER EDUCATION

June 21, 2025 - Day 1

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM  

Networking Breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:35 AM

01. Welcome and Practical Advice to New Campus Counsel

  • Welcome and brief overview of NACUA 
  • Brief overview of legal issues unique to higher education
  • Practical advice on transitioning to the practice of higher education law

Omar Syed, Vice President and General Counsel, Rice University

8:35 AM –9:15 AM 

Networking Circles

  • Meet NACUA colleagues in small groups, facilitated by a veteran NACUA member 
  • Discuss challenging and exciting aspects of your job
  • Ask general questions 
  • Build your first “NACUA Network”

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM

Break

9:30 AM –10:30 AM 

02. Meet the Faculty 

  • Faculty employment relationships: tenure, contracts, unionization
  • Faculty duties, responsibilities, performance assessment and discipline
  • Faculty speech: Academic Freedom, First Amendment
  • The road ahead: approaching emerging developments

Barbara Lee, Of Counsel, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC 

Shelley Kehl, Of Counsel, Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC 

10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM

03A. College Athletics

  • NCAA structure and enforcement
  • Athletics contracts
  • Title IX and intercollegiate athletics
  • Wages, benefits, and the use of name, image, and likeness
  • Trending topics 

Anil Gollahalli, Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, Big Ten Conference

Janet Judge, Partner, Education & Sports Law Group

10:45 AM – 11:45 AM

03B. Meet the Regulators

  • Introduction to federal, state, and non-governmental regulators
  • Key examples of regulatory oversight, including practical advice to navigate compliance audits, program reviews, and other regulatory enforcement activities
  • Building a comprehensive compliance program that advances institutional mission and strategic priorities
  • Considerations pertinent to current developments and evolving regulatory landscape 

Stephanie Gold, Partner, Hogan Lovells LLP

Phil Catanzano, Co-Founder, Education & Sports Law Group

11:45 AM – 1:15 PM

Networking Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:00 PM (Microsession)

04A. The FUNdamentals of FERPA

  • An overview of the FERPA framework and its key definitions
  • The principal disclosure exceptions
  • The often forgotten “inspect and review” and “seek amendment” rights
  • Saving the best for last: FERPA’s enforcement mechanism

Steven McDonald, Retired, Rhode Island School of Design

1:15 PM – 2:00 PM (Microsession)

04B. Campus Safety: the Clery Act and Beyond

  • Introduction to the Clery Act, including the history and objectives of the law
  • Discussion of the main components of Clery compliance, including reporting and disclosure of crime statistics in the ASR, the crime log, timely warnings and emergency notifications, and policy disclosures
  • Exploration of the Clery Handbook—What is it, how is it used in practice, and does it contain the answer to my question?
  • Overview of enforcement actions, program reviews, and fines
  • Overlap with campus safety issues such as threat assessment/response, CARE/BIT teams

John Graff, Attorney, Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP
Michelle Tellock, Deputy General Counsel, Vanderbilt University 

2:00 PM – 2:15 PM

Break

2:15 PM – 3:15 PM

05A. Federal Antidiscrimination Law

  • Addressing Harassment and Discrimination Matters in Higher Education (e.g., Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, Section 504)
  • Sexual Violence and Discrimination
  • Special Topics on Disability Law – Mental Health & FMLA/ADA
  • Retaliation
  • Pending Developments

Eric Butler, Of Counsel, Bricker Graydon

Dan Kaufman, Partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

2:15 PM – 3:15 PM 

05B. Wheels Up! – Navigating University International Programs

  • Understand different frameworks for evaluating international initiatives
  • Review select U.S. and foreign law compliance issues and discuss recent trends and hot topics – e.g., international employment; foreign taxation; export controls; foreign influence; international student recruitment; online and remote learning; global data privacy; and international student health and safety concerns
  • Share unique contract terms, tips, and strategies to negotiate cross-border contracts

Bill Ferreira, Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP

Emma Bahner, Data Privacy Associate, XL Law & Consulting P.A.

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

6A. Introduction to Sexual Misconduct Issues: Title IX, Title VII, and the Courts

  • Current practices under the 2020 Title IX regulations
  • Handling sex discrimination allegations
  • Practical advice for campus counsel in adopting, revising, and administering sexual misconduct policies on campus

Melissa Carleton, Partner, Bricker Graydon LLP
Olabisi Okubadejo, Associate Vice President for Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Compliance, Georgetown University

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

06B. The Mechanics of a Deal—Unique Aspects of Contracting for Higher Education Institutions 

  • Unique issues related to contract administration on college and university campuses
  • The role of counsel in contract administration
  • Who is entering into contracts at your university?  Signature authority and policies related to contract administration
  • Key contractual provisions
  • Practical take-aways related to contract review 

Art Lee, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, University of Arizona 

Esther Walker, Associate General Counsel, Dartmouth College 

4:30 PM – 4:45 PM

Break

4:45 PM – 5:30 PM (Microsession)

07. Super Anxious Ultra Modern Lawyer: Addressing Workplace Mental Health  

  • Discuss unique stressors, from managing crises to balancing complex ethical obligations, lawyers in higher education face
  • Explore the impact of mental health challenges on legal competence and ethical duties including:
    • Confidentiality;
    • The pressures of higher education legal roles;
    • Ethical considerations when supporting colleagues; and
    • Strategies for maintaining well-being
  • Offer practical guidance, including ABA ethics opinions and a review of relevant ethical rules to help lawyers navigate these challenges while fostering a healthier work environment

Destinee Waiters, Senior Associate General Counsel, Suffolk University

Alexandra Mitropoulos, Senior Counsel, Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Opening Reception

June 22, 2025 - Day 2

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Networking Breakfast

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

08. A Balancing Act: Key Issues in Navigating Student Conduct and Expression

  • Introduction to student conduct administration: legal issues and beyond
  • The impact of current events and controversies on campus climate
  • Addressing student disciplinary issues
  • Speech codes, bias incidents, and harassment
  • Upholding academic standards and professional decisions

Scott Warner, Partner, Husch Blackwell LLP

Stephanie Rosenberg, Senior Associate General Counsel, University of Arizona 

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Break

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM

09A. Disability Law

  • Academic accommodation issues in higher education context
  • Animals on campus
  • Threat to self and/or threat to others
  • Leaves of absence and withdrawals
  • Web accessibility

Elizabeth Conklin, Associate Vice-President for Institutional Equity, Access, and Belonging and University Title IX Coordinator, Yale University  
Karen Baillie, Shareholder, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.

9:15 AM – 10:15 AM

09B. Research Lexicon: An Overview of University Research 

  • Sponsored university research and related regulations and responsibilities
  • Common research compliance issues and enforcement mechanisms
  • Research security
  • Intellectual property considerations
  • Hot topics for counsel to know

 Nicole Picard, Associate General Counsel, Brown University 

Steve Sencer, Counsel, Ropes & Gray LLP 

10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Break

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

10. Ethical Advice for New Campus Counsel

  • General principles of ethics for college and university attorneys
  • Representing an institutional client – ethical issues and practical strategies
  • Attorney-client privilege – elements, exceptions, and waivers
  • Special challenges taking on non-legal roles 

Deke Mathieu, General Counsel and Secretary of the College, Trinity College  

Bill Mullowney, Vice President for Policy and General Counsel, Valencia College  

11:30 AM – 12:45 AM

Networking Lunch