Employment Law in Higher Education: Title IX, Professor/Student Interactions, Tenure, Application of Labor Laws

Ms. Butcher advises higher education entities on Title IX, athletics compliance and name, image, and likeness matters, and employment matters and is an experienced litigator and mediator. She serves as an education litigator licensed in Ohio, a Title IX investigator and hearing officer for colleges and universities, trains on the Title IX regulations for higher education institutions throughout the country and conducts climate surveys in related Title IX matters. Ms. Butcher enjoys the interactions with students, faculty, and staff these roles provide and the work required to best balance the law, the needs of the clients, and the needs of parties involved in difficult disputes. Before joining the firm’s Higher Education team, she represented state agencies and public colleges and universities in federal, state and administrative proceedings at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Butcher has also advised clients on employment and labor issues, trained human resources professionals, and assisted with public records and open meetings law-related issues.

Ms. Theberge advises and defends employers in matters involving claims of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful discharge, as well as disability accommodation, wage and hour laws, whistleblower, and family and medical leave laws. She has a particular practice focus representing private and public higher education institutions and other schools in employment-related, student-related and Title IX cases, as well as day-to-day advising on student and employment issues and contracts. Ms. Theberge has successfully defended clients in both federal and state court, as well as before administrative agencies, including the U.S. EEOC. She also frequently acts as a neutral investigator in sensitive employment matters for both higher education institutions and other employers, addressing issues with care and consideration for all parties involved.