Even for law firms with experienced internal investigations practices, Title IX and sexual assault investigations pose a particular challenge. But lawyers who specialize in the practice said the volume of such investigations is likely to increase, and law firms will find ways to standardize their approach as a result.
A lawsuit filed last week highlights the risks law firms face when conducting sensitive, highly charged investigations at colleges and universities. A former Baylor University football director, Colin Shillinglaw, sued Baylor and Pepper Hamilton for libel, alleging that he was defamed by reports that said he failed to address sexual assault allegations against football players. Shillinglaw was fired after Pepper Hamilton investigated the sexual assault reports and presented its findings to Baylor.
