Three leading law schools that had previously been found out of compliance by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association (ABA) have now successfully rectified their cited issues and are back in compliance. In March of this year, Baylor Law School and the University…
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a material often used in building construction, has recently come under intense scrutiny. As numerous schools prepared to reopen this September following the summer holiday, many were informed that, owing to the use of RAAC in their buildings (and the current status and condition), they would not be able to…
As we stand on the precipice of a new fiscal year, set to begin on October 1, 2023, Congressional leaders continue to wrestle with funding the federal government via the appropriations process. This is one of the central pillars of managing “discretionary spending”, a crucial part of the federal budget allocation. The term “discretionary spending”,…
In an increasingly digitalized world, the task of preserving the privacy of students’ data in higher education has never been more critical. Jeff Knight and Nancy Magoteaux, attorneys at Bricker Graydon LLP, understand this challenge and are set to discuss the best practices for meeting and exceeding data privacy standards in an upcoming webinar on…
In the legal world, it’s not uncommon for professionals to find themselves entrenched in bouts of intellectual tug of war. One such recurring debate involves a point of contention among attorneys who represent public broadcasters and other non-commercial educational licensees (NCEs). The question, distilled to its essence, is: should an application for Federal Communications Commission…
The U.S. Department of Education is facing a delay in finalizing the new version of Title IX regulations due to a record number of public comments. The department had aimed to complete the task by October, but this target appears unattainable now. The proposed changes focus on enhancing the protections for students who have experienced…
In recent weeks, cyberlaw has become an increasingly relevant field with the surge in cyber-related activities having legal implications. As observed, there has been a rise in the news of cyber-related False Claims Act (FCA) activities. This underscores the importance for corporations, contractors and universities to review their cybersecurity practices and anticipate an escalation in…
Following the introduction of the NextGen bar exam in July 2026, the current iteration of the bar exam is slated to stop being administered after July 2027, as announced by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The soon-to-be-phased-out bar exam, also known as the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), includes the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE),…
Former FTC Commissioner Joshua Wright, currently under scrutiny for numerous allegations, was reported to have prestigious George Mason University’s “ASS Law” under considerable controversy. Wright is also said to own up to many of the accusations made against him in his ongoing defamation lawsuit against his accusers. The burning question remains, however, how is academia,…
The ongoing legal debate over preferred pronoun usage in classrooms has left many Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) feeling like they are ‘between a rock and a hard place’. The increasing scrutiny that these pronoun policies are receiving can be seen in the Seventh Circuit’s latest ruling from July 28, 2023. As reported on by…
In an intriguing turn of events in Arizona, a lawsuit has been filed against high school coaches who stand accused of defaming a student, dramatically interfering with his athletic career. Allegations were raised by the student’s parents, who deeply believe that their son’s future prospects in sports have been substantially sabotaged as a direct consequence…
As the fresh academic year begins, students across England are bracing themselves and gearing up for another busy year away from home. Amidst the chaos of their preparations, it might be an apt time to scrutinize the key themes currently affecting the Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) sector from a planning viewpoint. Notably, concerns are arising…
In a decisive move, the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) have issued a joint letter to institutions of higher education, signaling increased scrutiny in the realm of online accessibility. Notably, the collective action occurs in tandem with recent enforcement endeavors against…
With legal compliance in the field of higher education sitting under increasing scrutiny, the attention has been drawn towards the Clery Act – a paramount piece of legislation integral to higher education compliance obligations. Critically, the Act is often the conduit enabling the Department of Education to dispense significant fines, positing Clery Act compliance as…
The Trade Unions Congress (TUC) recently announced they are reporting the UK government to the UN watchdog on workers rights over the implementation of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023. The TUC is of the view that this law falls short of international standards on account of its restrictions on industrial action, and has…
Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights for the UN, Olivier De Schutter, has recently identified poverty as the underlying factor driving violence and instability in Ecuador. Following a two-week visit, De Schutter implored the nation’s leaders to ramp up their fight against the drug-related crime that is currently plaguing the country. The UN…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) made an announcement on Friday that Taliban authorities continue to perpetrate gender-based crimes against women and girls in Afghanistan. The announcement comes with a call from Elizabeth Evenson, the international justice director at HRW, for coordinated international community support to ensure that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has the necessary resources…
The Florida Supreme Court has held firm in its February decision to remove the terms “fairness and diversity” from the language detailing courses that meet the ongoing education requirements for the state’s judges. This decision, reportedly communicated in September 2023, reaffirms the court’s stance on the issue, which is seen as a contentious point within…
In what can be seen as a major victory for victims of educational deceit, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has agreed to discharge up to $72 million in student loans for former students of online for-profit school Ashford University. The decision, which underscores the crucial role of the DOE in protecting the rights of…
In a significant legal shift, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 29th, 2023 that race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard College and the University of North Carolina violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in the case of Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College. In this critical…
In September 2023, significant developments have been noted in the ever-evolving landscape of the wireless industry, noted for revolutionizing human connectivity across diverse applications such as teleworking, distance learning, telemedicine, and virtually all other aspects of daily life. Referencing a recent blog from Mintz – Technology, Communications & Media, this article undertakes a concise examination…
The rapidly shifting legal landscape surrounding Title IX is a pressing concern for attorneys navigating this complex area of law. Generating both concern and curiosity across the legal community, a potential sea change may be on the horizon. An upcoming webinar on Title IX litigation promises to offer considerable insight into this unfolding situation. The…
In notable news, Alabama’s open defiance of the Supreme Court’s election law ruling marks a potential return trip to DC. Speculations regarding Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s changing stance on the issue are rising, as Republicans seem to be hopeful they can sway his vote. A recent leak intimates that Kavanaugh’s initial vote might have been a…
Aspen Publishing has obtained an exclusive license from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law to administer the JD-Next law school admissions test. This exclusive rights acquisition comes after the Council of the American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions’ approval of a variance in June allowing for the JD-Next…
The finalists for the 2023 American Legal Technology Awards, recognizing exceptional achievement in various aspects of legal technology, have been christened. The winners will be unveiled at a gala dinner at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville on Oct. 8, one day before the commencement of the Clio Cloud Conference at the same location. Brought…