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College Student DefenseTitle IX

How to find the right Title IX defense attorney for your case

By February 3, 2016September 25th, 2023No Comments

Why would I need a Title IX defense attorney?

Under Title IX, you are protected from sex-based discrimination in education. This applies to all students, staff, and faculty, regardless of sex or gender identity. If you experience sex-based discrimination and feel that your school is not taking immediate and appropriate action to find a resolution, you are entitled to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education or to initiate a Title IX lawsuit against the school.

What should I look for in a Title IX attorney?

Title IX lawsuits are a niche- not every attorney has the experience or knowledge to properly represent you. The attorney that represents you in a Title IX lawsuit should have previous experience working with such cases; a knowledge of the law and of university policies. At each step, the attorney should exercise due diligence in ensuring that the process is moving forward in an appropriate manner. An effective attorney will have worked with and built a rapport with schools. It would be beneficial for you to obtain an attorney who has worked with your particular school, as he or she will therefore know how the policies are effectuated.

Title IX rights are Civil Rights
There are many resources, such as Public Justice and the National Women’s Law Center, that can help you find a Title IX attorney in your area, as well as locate pro bono legal assistance. If your school is not protecting you, there is an attorney out there who will help you defend your right to a campus and education free of discrimination.

These materials have been prepared by Cohen Seglias for informational purposes only and are not intended and should not be construed as legal advice.

Shan Wu

Author Shan Wu

Shan’s professional and personal background gives him a unique understanding of academic institutions and the criminal justice system. A former federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., he is at home in D.C. Courts and very familiar with all of the Washington, D.C. law enforcement agencies, especially the Metropolitan Police Department. His parents were university professors so he grew up in a university environment. He understands the mindset of academic institutions. As a prosecutor, he supervised in the misdemeanor crime section. This is the section of the Washington, D.C. prosecutor’s office that handles most college student cases. His understanding of charging decisions and how judges view these cases is invaluable to his student clients and their families. Shan served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia for over ten years. During his tenure there, now Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. appointed him to supervisory positions in the Misdemeanor Trial Section and also in a police corruption task force. His outstanding legal work in the government was recognized through numerous Special Achievement Awards from the Justice Department as well as awards conveyed by law enforcement agencies and community groups. From 1999-2000, Shan served as Counsel to Attorney General Janet Reno, advising her on criminal and civil investigations, E-Gov, E-Commerce (electronic signatures, internet gambling, internet telephony, privacy & public access issues in electronic court filings), congressional oversight, and legislative review. His responsibilities included serving as liaison to the FBI, DEA, Criminal Division, Executive Office of United States Attorneys, National Institute of Justice, and White House Counsel’s Office. Shan serves on the D.C. Bar Association’s Hearing Committee of the Board on Professional Responsibility and is a past president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association for the Greater Washington, D.C. area. He is a 1988 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, where he graduated Order of the Barristers, edited two law reviews, and was Co-Director of the Moot Court Program. He holds a B.A. in English Literature from Vassar College as well as a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College. Following law school, he clerked for the late Hon. Jerry Buchmeyer, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the late Eugene Wright, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia and Connecticut.

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