Our firm represents a wide variety of religious colleges, universities, and not-for-profit associations, ranging from small bible colleges to major universities and national not-for-profit associations. Our work ranges from counseling and policy-drafting to representation of these institutions in court, agencies, and negotiations with government entities and the AAUP. Our specific experience includes:
- Counseling religiously-affiliated colleges and universities about application of local anti-discrimination laws to hiring and admission practices.
- Drafting handbooks and policy documents to help institutions protect statutory and constitutional exemptions from selected laws and court-created doctrines.
- Negotiating and communicating with the AAUP, accrediting agencies, and government agencies on behalf of religious institutions.
- Conducting educational programming and training workshops for employees of religious institutions.
- Defending institutions against allegations of religious and other forms of discrimination, including challenges to institution’s religious exemption from Title VII and local anti-discrimination ordinances.
- Defending institutions against lawsuits challenging institutional conduct codes or contractual academic freedom limitations arising from the particular religious tenets of the institution.
In all such instances, we help our clients design procedures and conduct themselves in a manner that is in harmony not only with applicable law but also with the unique religious and cultural identity of the particular institution. We strive to defend all of our clients’ rights to freedom of religion and association, consistent with the legitimate limitations of state, federal and constitutional law.
