Verrill’s Higher Education 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 and are 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, student affairs, and risk management issues. Our group is composed of attorneys from a variety of legal disciplines, all committed to providing individualized advice, advocacy, and counsel to the educational institutions we represent.
Labor and Employment
- Compliance with federal and state regulations (Title IX, FERPA, Clery, HIPAA, ADA, etc.)
- Employment matters, including discrimination, hiring/termination, and tenure
- Labor relations, including union/management issues and OSHA compliance
- Senior administration contracting and executive negotiations
Student Affairs
- Policies and training on misconduct, harassment, honor codes, and student conduct (including hazing, alcohol, speech, political activity)
- Support during investigations, hearings, and appeals
- Issues involving IT security, social media use, and interactions with law enforcement
- Diversity, academic freedom, and liability concerns for experiential learning and study-abroad programs
Immigration
- Visa and work authorization for international faculty, researchers, and students
- Permanent residency and sponsorship processes
- Compliance with SEVIS and related federal requirements
- Advising institutions on global mobility and workforce planning
Intellectual Property and Technology
- Patents, trademarks, copyrights
- Licensing, technology transfer, and commercialization
Privacy, Data Security & Artificial Intelligence
- Vendor contract negotiation to ensure compliance with FERPA, COPPA and other privacy laws involving students or minors
- Internal compliance with laws involving privacy, Artificial Intelligence and information security in higher education
Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation
- 403(b) and 457(b) retirement plans
- Health and welfare benefit plans
- SERPs and other executive compensation arrangements
- Compliance with intermediate sanctions rules
- Early retirement incentives
Planned Giving and Donor Relationships
- Charitable giving plans and procedures
- Donor dispute resolution
- Federal and state information reporting
Sustainability and Environmental Compliance
- Environmental permitting and compliance
- Construction and real estate disputes
- Sustainability compliance and green design
- Land use
- Permitting
- Historic preservation
People
Experience
Represented national construction-management firm in litigation against a major urban university seeking more than $10 million in additional costs arising from the delay and disruption of a large academic building project.
Represented national construction-management firm in litigation of a claim for delay and disruption arising from the renovation of a residence hall at a University in Connecticut.
Successfully represented a private preparatory school in a claim involving...