Educational institutions wield enormous power over students’ academic futures, professional prospects, and reputations. When that power is exercised unfairly or unlawfully, students need counsel with deep expertise in the unique legal landscape of educational due process and constitutional rights.

We represent students at every educational level—from elementary school through graduate and professional programs—in high-stakes disciplinary proceedings, civil rights disputes, and litigation against educational institutions.

National Recognition & Deep Expertise

Karin M. Sweigart is nationally recognized as a leading authority in student rights law who brings a nuanced understanding of how educational institutions operate to client disputes. She couples sophisticated strategies with concentrated expertise to every student matter.

Disciplinary Defense Across All Educational Levels

We defend students facing disciplinary charges that threaten suspension, expulsion, or notations on academic records. Our experience spans:

• K-12 discipline, including disciplinary investigations and expulsion proceedings

• Undergraduate and graduate discipline at public and private universities

• Professional school proceedings where disciplinary findings can prevent bar admission, medical licensure, or entry into other licensed professions

We understand that disciplinary processes vary dramatically across institutions and that outcomes can alter the trajectory of a student’s life. We provide vigorous representation calibrated to the specific procedures and stakes involved.

Title IX Proceedings

Title IX cases have become increasingly complex, with procedures that often fall short of fundamental fairness. We represent students—both complainants and respondents—in Title IX investigations and hearings involving allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination.

Our Title IX practice includes challenging procedural irregularities, advocating for fair investigation practices, cross-examining witnesses, presenting exculpatory evidence, and pursuing appeals. We also bring litigation under Title IX and other federal civil rights statutes when institutions fail to respond appropriately to harassment or discrimination.

Due Process & Procedural Fairness

Many student disciplinary proceedings are fundamentally unfair. Students often face biased investigators, denial of access to evidence, inadequate notice, predetermined outcomes, or procedures that violate institutional policies or legal requirements. We hold institutions accountable when they disregard their own rules or deprive students of due process protections.

At public institutions, students have constitutional due process rights. At private institutions, students have contractual rights based on handbooks, policies, and codes of conduct. We are adept at identifying procedural violations and building records that support judicial intervention.

Academic Freedom & Campus Speech

Universities are meant to be forums for open inquiry and robust debate. We represent students and faculty whose expression has been censored, punished, or chilled by institutional overreach. Our practice includes challenges to speech codes, compelled speech, viewpoint discrimination, and retaliation for protected expression on campus.

Emergency Injunctions & Immediate Relief

When students face imminent suspension, expulsion, or other irreparable harm, we move quickly to seek temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions. We have successfully obtained emergency relief allowing students to remain enrolled, participate in graduation, and preserve their academic standing while their cases proceed.

Litigation & Appeals

We bring lawsuits on behalf of students against educational institutions in state and federal court, asserting claims under Title IX, Section 1983, state civil rights statutes, contract law, and tort law. Our appellate experience ensures that when district courts err, we pursue every available avenue for review.

Sophisticated Advocacy, Personal Investment

Student discipline cases are intensely personal. They often involve young people facing the most serious allegations of their lives, with profound consequences for their education, careers, and reputations. We provide sophisticated legal counsel while remaining deeply invested in the human stakes of these cases. Our clients receive strategic guidance at every stage and the assurance that their matter is being handled by attorneys with depth of experience in this field.