Title IX Defense Massachusetts
Serving students & Faculty nationwideIf you are facing Title IX accusations in Massachusetts, the potential consequences are dire. You could be facing academic penalties and have your educational and professional life forever tainted if you are found responsible for violating this federal law.
Whether you’re a student or a faculty member at a local college, you need to take this situation seriously. At KJK Student & Athlete Defense, we understand the stress and uncertainty associated with being accused of violating Title IX. Our experienced Title IX defense lawyers provide focused and strategic legal representation. Whether you’re dealing with university administration, a disciplinary board, or criminal proceedings stemming from a Title IX, our attorneys are equipped to zealously defend your rights and safeguard your future.
Call us today to arrange a confidential consultation.
What Is Title IX?
Title IX is a federal law enacted as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. It was initially enacted to provide more equal access to female students and athletes who were often shut out of education programs and underfunded in sports. It states that sexual discrimination cannot occur in educational institutions or programs that receive federal funding.
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What Does Title IX Cover?
Title IX is a comprehensive law. While many people associate Title IX with promoting equal opportunities for women in sports, it concerns many more areas than this, including:
- Admissions and enrollment
- Entry into competitive programs
- Athletics
- Sexual discrimination
- Sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Financial aid
- Employment practices at academic institutions
- Pregnancy discrimination
More recent interpretations also prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
All educational institutions that receive federal funding must comply with Title IX’s mandates, including public colleges and universities, private institutions, K-12 programs, vocational rehabilitation programs, and other programs that receive federal funds, including recipients of federal student loans.
Who Is Often Accused in Title IX Cases?
Title IX cases can be lodged against virtually anyone associated with a school, college, or university, including:
- Elementary students
- High school students
- Undergraduate students
- Graduate students
- Student-athletes
- Faculty members
- Administrators and administrative staff
- Support staff
- Resident advisors
- Vendors
- Teaching assistants
If the college fails to respond to Title IX allegations, it can also be named in a Title IX lawsuit.
Oftentimes, other students are accused. These students are often unfamiliar with the legal system and don’t know how to navigate it.
How a Title IX Defense Lawyer Can Help
Title IX is a complicated area of the law. Every educational institution has its own unique policy, and every school handles Title IX investigations slightly differently, further complicating the matter. A Title IX defense lawyer can protect your legal rights and tailor your defense based on your particular situation.
When you hire a lawyer to serve as your advisor, they can:
- Review your school’s Title IX policy and explain the Title IX process
- Review the evidence against you, identify evidence that can assist you, and identify inconsistencies in witness accounts
- Protect your due process rights and respond to procedural violations
- Develop a tailored legal strategy and present evidence effectively
- Challenging your school’s policies if they conflict with federal law
- Preparing you for an interview with the Title IX investigator and any hearings
- Preparing lists of questions for witnesses
- Advising you on your right to appeal if you receive an unfavorable ruling
Why Choose KJK Student & Athlete Defense for Your Case?
While you can potentially choose anyone to be your advisor, some of the advantages you can receive by hiring us include:
- Experience: Our dedicated lawyers have helped more than 1,000 people at more than 200 colleges and universities. This unparalleled level of experience sets us apart from other law firms.
- Focus: Our practice centers around education law, including Title IX cases, special education matters, and campus misconduct proceedings. We understand the complexities of these types of cases and have the knowledge necessary to yield successful results.
- Holistic legal services: We provide accused students with related legal services, including legal representation in any other civil or criminal proceedings arising from the Title IX allegations. We also assist with reputation management.
- Legal recognition: Our lawyers are often recognized by the legal community for our outstanding success and legal skills in the education arena. Our attorneys have been recognized as Best Lawyer of the Year in the Education category multiple times.
- Personalized attention: Our lawyers know that every Title IX policy is unique, as are every case and client. We provide individualized strategies that are tailored to your case.
Contact us today for a confidential consultation.
What Is at Stake in a Title IX Case?
If you are accused of violating Title IX, the stakes are high. You can face immediate consequences in the form of interim measures before you ever have a chance to defend yourself from the accusations. These interim measures can result in:
- Having to change job or class schedules
- Having to move student housing
- Needing to step down from leadership positions on campus
- Having to see the accuser escorted to classes
If you are ultimately found responsible for violating Title IX, you can face additional consequences such as:
- Suspension or expulsion from school
- Permanent transcript notations that prevent you from getting into graduate schools
- Removal from student housing
- Job loss or loss of tenure
- Being required to make a formal apology
- Requirement to participate in counseling
- Being required to step down from leadership positions on campus
- Loss of financial aid
- Restricted access to campus facilities
The long-term impact on your reputation can be unparalleled. You may be unable to remove yourself from being associated with the Title IX accusations. They can continue to follow you into your academic and professional careers for years to come.
Problems That Often Arise in Title IX Cases
Many Title IX cases tend to be one-sided. Schools often rush to judgment, hoping to avoid liability themselves under Title IX’s mandates and the negative publicity that sometimes follows not responding aggressively to complaints regarding sexual assault or other sexual misconduct. Many schools aim to resolve cases within 60 days, which may mean the accused has inadequate time to prepare a defense, and schools have limited time to reach a decision.
Each institution in Massachusetts handles Title IX cases differently, so each case is different. Some schools quickly implement corrective action even before there is a formal finding of responsibility against the accused. Schools are often the investigators, factfinders, and executioners.
Accused students and faculty members are often unfamiliar with Title IX proceedings and ill-equipped to protect their rights during this process. They may not understand their rights, or they could receive an unclear overview of them from the Title IX coordinator. In these cases, the focus is often on protecting the accuser rather than the accused.
To prevent your due process rights from being trampled on, it’s critical to work with an experienced Title IX attorney who understands the nuances of these cases, as well as the legal procedures at specific schools. An experienced attorney can challenge flawed procedures, protect your due process rights, and safeguard you against unfair or exaggerated claims.
Differences Between Criminal and Title IX Cases
While cases involving Title IX violations are not as serious as those resulting in criminal charges, the criminal justice system affords greater safeguards to the accused because their freedom is at stake, including the following:
- Lower burden of proof: Criminal cases require the highest burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while the burden of proof in Title IX cases is much lower with the preponderance of the evidence.
- Right to remain silent: Criminal defendants have the right to remain silent and avoid incriminating themselves, while accused students or faculty members who are silent may be interpreted negatively.
- Different rules of evidence: Criminal investigations must follow strict rules regarding the collection of evidence and the types of evidence that can be used against the accused, while hearsay and other less reliable evidence may be used in Title IX cases.
- Right to cross-examine witnesses: Criminal defendants have the right to cross-examine the victim and other witnesses against them, but Title IX only allows the accused to prepare a list of questions to ask them.
- Judge and jury: Criminal defendants can often request a jury trial so their peers judge them, but Title IX cases are often decided by hearing panels or university administrators.
Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is home to some of the finest institutions of higher education. Dozens of colleges and universities are located here, including:
- American International College
- Amherst College
- Anna Maria College
- Assumption University
- Babson College
- Bay Path University
- Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
- Bentley University
- Berklee College of Music
- Berkshire Community College
- Boston Architectural College
- Boston Baptist College
- Boston College
- Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis
- Boston University
- Brandeis University
- Bridgewater State University
- Bristol Community College
- Bunker Hill Community College
- Cambridge College
- Cape Cod Community College
- Clark University
- College of the Holy Cross
- Conway School of Landscape Design
- Curry College
- Dean College
- Elms College
- Emerson College
- Emmanuel College
- Endicott College
- Fisher College Boston
- Fitchburg State University
- Framingham State University Framingham
- Gordon College
- Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary
- Greenfield Community College
- Hampshire College
- Harvard University
- Hebrew College
- Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
- Holyoke Community College Holyoke
- Hult International Business School Cambridge
- Labouré College
- Lasell University
- Lesley University
- Longy School of Music of Bard College
- Massachusetts Bay Community College
- Massachusetts College of Art and Design
- Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy
- Massachusetts School of Law
- Massasoit Community College
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
- Merrimack College
- MGH Institute of Health Professions
- Middlesex Community College
- Montserrat College of Art
- Mount Holyoke College
- Mount Wachusett Community College
- New England College of Optometry
- New England Conservatory of Music
- New England Law Boston
- Nichols College
- North Shore Community College
- Northeastern University
- Northern Essex Community College
- Northpoint Bible College
- Olin College
- Pope St. John XXIII National Seminary
- Quincy College
- Quinsigamond Community College
- Regis College Weston
- Roxbury Community College
- Saint John’s Seminary
- Salem State University
- Simmons University
- Smith College
- Springfield College
- Springfield Technical Community College
- Stonehill College
- Suffolk University
- Tufts University
- University of Massachusetts
- University of Massachusetts Medical School
- Urban College of Boston
- Wellesley College
- Wentworth Institute of Technology
- Western New England University
- Westfield State University
- Wheaton College
- William James College
- Williams College
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute
- Worcester State University
Contact Us for More Information
If you’re facing Title IX accusations, contact the KJK Student & Athlete Defense team for legal representation. We can defend your rights and fight for a fair outcome.
Peer Advice
A Client’s Tips For Facing A Title IX Investigation
I OFFER THE FOLLOWING TIPS
For students who may be involved in a Title IX or related matter, I offer the following tips. First, I recommend that you call a Title IX lawyer before you make any other move. Following that step, one should consider staying away from public statements on the matter. I also recommend that this public silence be countered with engagement in therapy and frequent self-care. Similarly, reach out to the appropriate contact at your school to coordinate supportive measures so that you may continue with your academics. Establishing a list of hobbies and rituals to ground myself was incredibly helpful throughout the ups and downs of the case.
See What Our CLients are Saying about our title ix attorneys
Testimonials
We will be forever grateful to you for engaging with us to assist our son...
Kristina and Susan are very competent ...
Susan Stone and Kristina Supler represented our male college freshman...
against a false Title IX claim of non-consensual sexual intercourse. Current Title IX laws are strongly slanted in the accuser’s favor, and our son was denied due process by the university. This legal team expertly highlighted the accuser’s false accusations, while exposing the university’s many inconsistencies. They were there when we needed them – quick to take our phone calls or respond to our questions and concerns. Without their expert legal advice, our son would have likely been another silent and unfortunate victim of current Title IX university policies. We give Susan and Kristina the highest of recommendations!
I was a member of a fraternity at a public university...
that was kicked off campus for reported hazing. My involvement with the fraternity was unaware of any misdeeds being done, and was shocked when the school charged me with failure to report hazing. That’s when I contacted Susan and Kristina, who were extremely helpful and wonderful to work with. Thanks to them they helped guide me through collecting proof of my innocence, which ended up leading to the result we wanted of no charges against me. I highly recommend their service to anyone who might need it!
You are the utmost professional counselor...
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K-12 Student DefenseKJK’s Student & Athlete Defense practice group is here to protect your child’s future. Defending students of all ages, our team is here to make sure your family is given fair treatment when it comes to disciplinary actions issued by your school district.
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