Title IX Neutral Practice

Our team can provide trained investigators to perform investigation functions required by Title IX including interviewing parties, gathering and sharing evidence with parties, creating draft reports, sharing draft reports with parties for comment, and issuing final reports.

Clark Hill has significant experience in educating academic institutions in Title IX matters. Our attorneys are published thought leaders seasoned in the Title IX arena and work with educational institutions to avoid liability and provide a safe educational environment on campuses by educating workforces. Our attorneys and HR professionals who conduct investigations have all received Title IX nationally certified training in Title IX investigations, trauma-informed investigations, remote interviews, consent precepts, and handling sexual assault investigations.

Hearings

Several of our Title IX team members have received particularized training to serve as Hearing Officers in Title IX, misconduct, and other university policy hearings. Our attorneys, who are also litigators, are familiar with the requirements for a hearing, and provide such services as:

Holding Pre-Conference Hearings
Conducting the Hearing
Making Evidence Admissibility Determinations
Examining parties and witnesses
Assessing Credibility
Making Determinations Regarding Responsibility
Preparing detailed Final Reports
Where requested, making recommendations on discipline or sanctions

Our experienced attorneys have served as Hearing Officers for several Division 1 public universities as well as other public and private universities and colleges.

Our Hearing Officers have also presided over student misconduct hearings, academic misconduct hearing, code of conduct hearings, and violations of student handbooks or employment policies.

Appeal Officer

Our attorneys who serve as Hearing Officers are also trained to serve as Appeal Officers who review the underlying hearing and render determinations on whether the decision made by the Hearing Officer should be affirmed, overturned or whether a new hearing is required. Our attorneys who serve in this role are experienced litigators who have significant appellate experience. They are comfortable and competent with reviewing the record of evidence and testimony and making decisions based on a standard of review.

Trained Advisors

Our Title IX team often serves as advisors to complainants and respondents appointed by universities and colleges to assist a party through the investigation, hearing, or appeals phase of Title IX or other campus proceedings.

What Sets Us Apart

Our professionals who provide neutral services draw upon our many years of experience to guide us through providing services. As attorneys that litigate and try cases, yet are trauma-informed and Title IX trained, we recognize the key evidence from irrelevant or tangential information, can appropriately judge the credibility of parties and witnesses, and can make the tough decisions. We excel at providing a written report providing our reasoned decision that is supported by the record. Our investigators are both attorneys and HR professionals and have investigated hundreds of complaints for our education clients and private companies. In short, our experience makes us both qualified and efficient.