North America - United States • Industry focus
Hecker Fink LLP
The lawyers at Hecker Fink LLP‘s education practice are well-placed to represent educational institutions in employment, admissions, gender-based misconduct, and athletics-related Title IX matters. Assisting educational institutions with internal investigations into allegations of discrimination and misconduct constitutes an additional pillar of the practice. New York-based department lead Roberta Kaplan is routinely called upon by clients in the education, tech, and financial services segments for her contentious expertise. Also based in New York, Gabrielle Tenzer has significant experience litigating Title IX, student discipline, and COVID-related cases. Joshua Matz is the key contact in Washington DC – his areas of specialization include contract, fraud, and defamation disputes, as well as consumer protection and sex discrimination matters.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Key clients
- 34 Black Women Law Scholars
- New York University
- Columbia University in Brittain v. Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
Work highlights
- Filed an amicus brief on behalf of 34 Black women law schools in Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, No. 20-1199 in the U.S. Supreme Court, and Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. University of North Carolina et al., No. 21-707 in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Filed a complaint in SDNY, including Title IX claim for deliberate indifference & state law claims. John Doe plaintiff was Tisch undergrad whose name was included on a google spreadsheet “blacklist” accusing NYU students/faculty of sexual misconduct.
- Defended Columbia University in a putative class action lawsuit filed in November 2020, demanding millions of dollars in tuition and fee reimbursement for graduate students who attended Columbia’s School of the Arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lawyers
Leading lawyers
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Roberta Kaplan