Verrill Dana’s Higher Education practice group has served as trusted legal counsel to some of the region’s most respected educational institutions. Our attorneys are well prepared to meet the diverse legal needs of colleges and universities of all sizes, ranging from small liberal arts schools to community colleges to large and complex university systems. We provide services in a cost-effective, efficient manner, cognizant of the economic realities facing educational institutions. We work closely with college and university counsel or directly with the school’s management and other staff on a broad range of issues, including transactional, bond financing, litigation, regulatory, patent and intellectual property, and risk management issues. Our group is comprised of attorneys from a variety of legal disciplines, all committed to providing individualized advice, advocacy, and counsel to the educational institutions we represent.
Primary contacts:
Elizabeth Brody Gluck, Esq.(Chair) ebrodygluck@verrilldana.com
James Kilbreth, Esq. jkilbreth@verrilldana.com
Primary Areas of Focus:
Student Health and Safety
- Federal law compliance guidance (including FERPA, HIPAA, ADA, HEOA, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act, etc.)
- Review, revision and development of policies for student health functions, including student medical leave policies and procedures (voluntary and involuntary)
- Development of behavioral intervention teams and consultation on issues of team composition and function
- Confidentiality, FERPA, state law, and professional licensing compliance advice
- Guidance regarding parental notification and disclosure of student information
- Advice on best practices related to confidentiality of student health information
- Guidance regarding student mental health issues, including risk management and disclosure matters
- Advice on consent to treatment issues
- Development of best practice guidelines relative to student eating disorder issues;
- Provision of on-campus education and training to inform campus community of rights and responsibilities relative to student health and safety
- Facilitation of discussions between student health services and other campus functions such as counseling center, deans’ offices, campus police, etc.
Student Affairs
- Student education record retention, maintenance and disclosure
- IT security matters
- Blogging (risks, best practices, legal and regulatory guidelines)
- Issues related to student criminal activity and involvement with local law enforcement
- Clery Act compliance and best practices in campus safety
- Liability related to experiential learning
- Diversity issues
- Student disciplinary matters
- Liability related to student study abroad programs
- Academic freedom and related issues
Sustainability and Environmental Compliance
- Environmental permitting and compliance
- Construction and real estate disputes
- Sustainability compliance and green design
- Land use
- Permitting
- Historic preservation
Other Areas of Firm Expertise for Higher Education Clients:
In addition to the primary areas of focus, Verrill Dana provides a wide range of legal services to our higher education clients. As a full service law firm, we have the depth and breadth of legal expertise to meet the needs of institutions.
Labor and Employment
- Discrimination issues
- Hiring and termination
- Tenure issues
- Union/management issues
- OSHA matters
- Senior administration contracting and negotiation
Governance
- Not for profit and tax-exempt corporation law
- Board governance and development
- Sarbanes-Oxley Act compliance and fiduciary best practices
Student and Faculty Immigration
- Full range of nonimmigrant and immigrant visas (green cards), through employment, family and other forms of sponsorship
- Immigration law compliance and strategy counseling
- Extensions of Stay
- Change of Visa Status
- Work Authorization for Spouses
- Visas for Family of Permanent Residents
- Labor Certification Applications
- Diversity Visa (Green Card Lottery)
- Outstanding Researchers
- Consular Processing
- Family immigration (including Immediate Relative and Preference Petitions)
Reentry Permits
Intellectual Property
- Patent
- Trademark
- Copyright
- Technology transfer arrangements
- Licensing of copyrighted materials
- Corporate and Tax
- Joint ventures
- Financing and investments
Estate Planning, Charitable Trusts and Exempt Organization Taxation
- Trust documentation
- Representation in will and trust disputes
- Charitable giving plans and procedures
- Compliance with private inurement rules
- Federal and state tax reporting and other disclosures
Institutional Financing
- Tax exempt bonds as financing tools
- Capital financing advice
- Lender and borrower representation
Employee Benefits
- Employee retirement plans
- Employee health benefit plans
- Executive and special compensation arrangements
- Compliance with intermediate sanctions rules