Higher Education Enforcement & Regulatory Counseling

Drawing on this firsthand experience, we guide public, private, community, and proprietary colleges and universities through their most complex legal, regulatory, and reputational challenges. Our work spans the full spectrum of issues facing institutions — from sexual assault allegations and Title IX compliance to active-shooter preparedness, research-related investigations, athletics governance, financial aid audits, and congressional inquiries.

Government Investigations and Compliance

McGuireWoods represents educational institutions in investigations and compliance matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and Federal Student Aid, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Department of Labor as well as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Our team conducts internal reviews, audits, and investigations on behalf of colleges and universities; counsels on self-disclosures and agency responses; and helps institutions navigate enforcement actions tied to federal funding, research programs, and campus operations. We also assist with matters involving alleged misconduct by senior administrators, faculty, or coaches, ensuring that responses are coordinated, compliant, and reputationally sound.

Risk Mitigation and Crisis Management

Because higher education operates as a microcosm of society, with intersecting academic, athletic, and residential communities, crises can emerge from any corner of campus life. Whether a student complaint evolves into a public controversy or a regulatory review becomes a full-scale investigation, McGuireWoods helps institutions evaluate legal exposure, anticipate reputational risks, and resolve issues efficiently.

As part of the firm’s nationally recognized Government Investigations & White Collar Litigation Practice Group — twice named a Law360 Practice Group of the Year — we help clients manage investigations and crisis response. Working closely with McGuireWoods Consulting, we also advise on trustee communications, media strategy, and stakeholder engagement to safeguard institutional integrity.

Title IV Eligibility and Campus Safety

Our team has deep experience with Title IV and the complex regulations governing postsecondary institutions — including institutional, student, and programmatic eligibility requirements; program reviews and audit resolutions; and compliance with the Clery Act’s campus safety and reporting mandates. We counsel clients on accurately disclosing campus crime statistics, supporting victims of violence, and maintaining transparent, compliant safety and security policies.