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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's interdisciplinary education team represents higher education institutions on litigation, investigations, and claims for discrimination and defamation. Among its clients is Stanford University, which the firm is representing in a financial aid antitrust litigation. The team is co-led by skilled litigator Jacob Sorensen from San Francisco who is particularly adept at class actions, contract disputes and anti-trust litigation. Over in New York, co-lead Jeffrey P. Metzler specializes in civil rights claims spanning race, gender, and disability discrimination and routinely advises on government investigations. Located in Washington DC, another key attorney is William Sullivan, who focuses mainly on internal investigations.
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Accolades

Client satisfaction

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The Pillsbury legal team demonstrates exceptional expertise in the higher education sector, offering in-depth knowledge of the unique legal challenges faced by academic institutions. They are exceptional at navigating complex issues related to regulatory compliance, accreditation, faculty and student rights, and institutional governance. Their proactive approach ensures that universities and colleges stay ahead of legal risks while fostering an environment of compliance and inclusivity. ’

  • ‘William Sullivan and Jeff Gans (both DC office) are exceptional attorneys who invest in understanding institutions to better understand the values and goals specific to each institution - tailoring their advice, when possible, to those individual values and goals. William is fantastic at issue spotting and talking through current challenges, and Jeff has a deep expertise in public-private partnerships, university developments, and building and construction.'

  • ‘My organization has worked and continues to work with Jeff Gans on a complex development project. He provides sophisticated counsel while also being pragmatic. He is also very responsive and feels like a member of the team.’

Key clients

  • Stanford University
  • New York University
  • University of Kansas
  • University of Kansas head men’s basketball coach, Bill E. Self
  • Pacific Lutheran University, et al. (60 institutions across the United States)
  • George Washington University
  • University of Chicago
  • Abilene Christian University
  • Wichita State University
  • The Regents of the University of California

Work highlights

Representing Stanford in connection with the financial aid antitrust litigation that has resulted in many large settlements involving other universities.
Achieved a significant and widely reported victory for the University of Kansas and its head men’s basketball coach, Bill E. Self, in the years-long NCAA enforcement investigation.
Advising George Washington University (GWU) in connection with ongoing Congressional scrutiny into alleged antisemitism on campus.

Lawyers

Practice head

Jacob Sorensen; Jeffrey P. Metzler

Other key lawyers

Jeffrey Gans; William Sullivan