Peter Lake
Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law & Policy at Stetson University College of Law
Webinar Description
Institutions of higher education are navigating increased attention to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics).
Recent federal actions, including Executive Orders, guidance documents, and enforcement actions through multiple federal agencies, are reshaping the compliance expectations for colleges and universities.
This session brings together higher education leaders and compliance experts to explore what’s new, what’s required, and how institutions can create a safe and supportive environment, while balancing academic freedom and protected speech.
Participants will gain a clearer understanding of how to operationalize Title VI obligations through lessons from recent resolution letters, joint notices of findings, and resolution agreements, and practical implementation strategies that support their institutional mission.
Panelists:
- Peter Lake, Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law & Policy at Stetson University College of Law
- Brigid Harrington, Attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth
- Leslie Gomez, Vice Chair at Institutional Response Group
Learning Objectives
During the webinar, panelists will:
- Explain the key provisions of Title VI and the current regulatory enforcement approach in higher education.
- Identify institutional obligations for a legally compliant Title VI program, including prevention, education, and response to reports.
- Discuss common challenges and legal considerations in responding to Title VI complaints.
- Share effective practices for fostering a safe and supportive campus climate and reinforcing the prohibition against discrimination and harassment.
- Highlight collaboration across campus departments to ensure coordinated and compliant responses to Title VI concerns.
Panelists
Peter Lake is the Charles A. Dana Chair and Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law, where he has spent 35 years as a teacher and administrator. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he previously practiced at Cahill Gordon & Reindel in New York City and remains a member of the New York State Bar Association.
Professor Lake teaches and writes in the areas of torts, higher education law and policy, insurance, and jurisprudence, earning numerous awards for his teaching and scholarship. An internationally recognized expert on higher education law and policy, he has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, and has appeared on NPR, ABC, and CNN.
He has written and spoken extensively on student wellness, safety, mental health, Title IX, and free expression, and has trained thousands of campus professionals. Professor Lake also serves as a consulting attorney with Steptoe & Johnson PLLC and as a consultant for the Association of Governing Boards (AGB).
Brigid Harrington
Attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth
Brigid is an attorney at Hunton Andrews Kurth whose practice focuses on supporting institutions of higher education. She has extensive experience in Title IX, VAWA, ADA, Title VI, Title VII, and athletics compliance, and guides clients through complex issues of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Brigid excels in developing non-discrimination and harassment policies, conducting Title IX investigations, and training university communities on compliance obligations. Beyond higher education, Brigid advises clients including secondary schools, biotech firms, nonprofits, and professional associations. She has counseled employers through internal investigations, employee climate assessments, and other highly sensitive issues.
Brigid is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and contributes to its Committee on Virtual Programming. She has also served as a member of the organizing committee of the Boston Bar Association’s annual higher education conference, and spoken on Title VI issues at Stetson University’s annual higher education and law conference.
Before private practice, Brigid was the Director of Civil Rights at the University of Massachusetts and served as an Investigator at Harvard University’s Office of Dispute Resolution. Prior to her work in higher education, Brigid was an Assistant District Attorney in New York City.
Leslie Gomez
Co-Chair of the Institutional Response Group, Cozen O'Connor
Leslie Gomez co-chairs Cozen O’Connor’s Institutional Response Group, a national practice dedicated to improving institutional responses to sexual and gender-based harassment and violence, discrimination and harassment, and child abuse. Her practice focuses on effective practices and the practical implementation of civil rights and child protection frameworks.
A former career child abuse and sexual violence prosecutor, Leslie helps institutions develop comprehensive systems, structures, policies, procedures, and compliance programs to effectively implement civil rights and child protection laws, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, the Clery Act, and state laws. She conducts comprehensive policy audits and external investigations; drafts policies and procedures; develops multi-disciplinary teams; advises on civil rights investigation, resolution and appeal proceedings; provides legal advice on all aspects of the institutional response to reports of misconduct; and assists institutions in meeting federal compliance obligations and responding to regulatory enforcement investigations by the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Justice. Leslie also conducts sensitive investigations and after-action reviews into critical campus incidents and is nationally recognized for her knowledge and experience related to child abuse, child protection, and child protective services laws.
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