The education practice at Akin handles a range of education matters, with the team’s workload consisting of both federal and internal investigations, litigation and research advisory work. Washington DC-based Michael Vernick is at the helm of the practice and is especially active on False Claim Act cases which extends into several aspects of education including government research funding, contracts and grants and research misconduct. Another notable practitioner in Washington DC is Marta Thompson, who is an expert in compliance obligations associated with federally funded contracts. Scott Barnard in Dallas and Anthony Pierce in Washington D.C. are well-positioned to advise educational institutions on class action lawsuits.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
- Profile
- Social
Key clients
- Southern Methodist University
- Tulane University
- Rice University
- Southeastern Conference (SEC)
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Stanford University
- Duke University
- Northwestern University
Work highlights
- Defending Southern Methodist University (SMU), Rice University, and Tulane University in federal courts against class action lawsuits seeking tuition and fee refunds due to the shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Spearheading efforts for the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to develop and pass federal legislation addressing key issues in college sports, including student athlete compensation based on name, image, and likeness.
- Represented Stanford in a False Claims Act probe, which centered on claims that university faculty had not properly declared support from foreign research sources.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Marta Thompson
Practice head
Michael Vernick
Other key lawyers
Marta Thompson; Scott Barnard; Anthony Pierce