The education team at Husch Blackwell LLP is characterized by ‘comprehensive knowledge, practical leadership insight, and a full understanding of the regulatory, legal, and accreditation landscape facing higher educational institutions.’ It handles a full range of compliance, operations, and litigation matters, with notable experience in NCAA compliance, Title IX issues, and federal student aid. At the helm of the team in Kansas City, Sean Tassi provides a range of advisory support, including data privacy expertise, representing clients domestically and internationally. Hayley Hanson, also in Kansas City, established and co-leads the team, with experience handling the most sensitive matters involving social media, assault allegations, and issues relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In Chicago, Lisa Parker combines litigation and education experience and is a key name for investigations work. ’Commercially-minded’ John Borkowski, also Chicago-based, handles a wide range of civil rights and educational funding issues. Marisa De Feo is based in Washington, D.C., and handles higher education disputes, including employment issues, tenure disputes, and student conduct matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Husch Blackwell’s Education Group is distinguished by comprehensive knowledge, practical leadership insight, and a full understanding of the regulatory, legal, and accreditation landscape facing higher educational institutions. Under the leadership of Hayley Hanson, the group offers extensive experience with compliance, governance, and risk issues across the higher education space.'
- 'Husch's level of expertise and professionalism sets them apart. Given their depth of knowledge and consistently high-quality professional services, Husch Blackwell has been a fundamental and trusted partner in advancing our work.'
- 'Hayley Hanson, Lisa Parker, and Anne Cartwright at Husch Blackwell are not only valued partners in the work they have done for the higher education institutions I have led, but also trusted advisors who bring a personal touch that I deeply value. This combination of exceptional legal expertise and authentic, relationship-driven engagement has made their partnership especially meaningful and effective.'
- 'Husch has the broadest group of attorneys with experience relevant to the specific needs of higher education institutions—great experience, including people who’ve worked in government regulatory roles and in-house. Really strong group of associates, which makes working with Husch very cost-effective compared to some other firms. Extremely collaborative, with regular communication and transparency. A first-mover when it comes to effective use of AI.'
- 'Mary Deweese is a standout senior associate for litigation.'
- 'John Borkowski is a very responsive, commercially minded relationship partner.'
- 'The practice is unique because of the range of disciplines available to support higher education organizations. The lawyers approach the work as seasoned and responsible counselors, offering relevant commonsense advice and solutions.'
- 'Lisa Parker is just outstanding.'
- 'The firm is uniquely positioned with a depth of experience and a robust legal bench, both of which easily make it a "one-stop shopping point" for legal advice across a wide range of areas touching on the day-to-day business of a nonprofit organization or educational institution. The attorneys at Husch genuinely care about their clients, and this warmth comes through in every interaction. It’s not like dealing with an impersonal, big firm. It’s more like dealing with colleagues who are there to help you succeed.'
- 'I genuinely have so much love for this firm and for the individuals I have worked with from this firm. From the paralegals all the way through to the partner level, every person I have worked with brings an impressive depth of knowledge and experience, as well as a genuine eagerness for the work. Without exception, the core team I work with from Husch is responsive, kind, patient with my questions, and caring. I have been through multiple large projects with this team, and truly would not have succeeded (or survived!) without them!'
Key clients
- Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Sean Tassi; Hayley Hanson
Other key lawyers
Julie Miceli; Lisa Parker; Derek Teeter; Jason Montgomery; Anne Cartwright; Mary Deweese; John Borkowski; Marisa De Feo