Overview
The depth and breadth of its Education Industry Team make Butzel unique among Midwest law firms. Butzel’s Education Industry team helps its clients navigate the legal, operational and economic issues and relationships inherent to the industry. Butzel’s education clients include nationally renowned public and private universities, colleges, community colleges, independent schools, public school academies, public school districts, vocational and for-profit institutions, foundations, and education technology companies.
Butzel attorneys understand the unique legal needs of academic institutions. They have extensive experience in issues particular to educational institutions, including governance, student accommodation, student discipline and dismissal, faculty dismissal and de-tenure proceedings, due process, FERPA, Intellectual Property (Patent, Trademark, Copyright, and trade secret), Clery Act, Title VI and IX, Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, civil rights and statutory discrimination and harassment claims, free speech, religious accommodation, Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act compliance, as well as the complex compensation and employee benefit issues that educational institutions regularly face. Butzel attorneys have represented educational institutions in dozens of grievance arbitrations and in collective bargaining negotiations including faculty negotiations. We have provided training to faculty and staff in issues such as student classroom and clinical accommodation, statutory compliance, and harassment avoidance. And, we have advised on addressing high legacy retirement costs with problem-solving strategies. Butzel attorneys have chaired and served on boards of various types of academic institutions. Several members of the team are active in lecturing at colleges and universities, serving as adjunct faculty, and taking leadership roles in major education law conferences. In addition, attorneys in the firm are members of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA).
This extensive experience in the Education industry enables the Butzel Education Industry team to provide the full spectrum of legal guidance to its clients on a cost-effective basis, including counseling and administrative training on labor and employment and other issues, litigation in state and federal courts, serving as financing and bond counsel, drafting policies, and guiding internal investigations.
