Higher Ed and the Law
Full Course, 15 Weeks
Asynchronous
For Credit or Credential
|
Asynchronous, 15 Weeks; 4-5 hours per week |
Next Start: January 20, 2026 |
Louis H. Guard, Esq. |
What are the pertinent and emerging legal issues in higher education today? Higher Education and the Law is part of the Higher Education Leadership Program’s Professional Education series.
In recent decades, the role of law in higher education has transformed dramatically. Once a rarity, in-house legal counsel is now essential for colleges and universities facing complex challenges like tenure-denial lawsuits, free speech disputes, campus sexual assault investigations and athletic compliance issues. Regulatory pressures, litigation and evolving legislation have created a new era that demands savvy legal navigation.
Join Louis H. Guard, an experienced higher education legal expert and co-author of The New Yorker’s Best Books of 2024 All the Campus Lawyers, as he unpacks this dynamic legal environment. Using Case Studies and drawing on his years as general counsel and adjunct professor, Guard will guide you through the most pressing legal issues shaping campus life, governance and administration today.
- The range of legal challenges faced by in-house counsel at colleges and universities
- Why legal professionals must be knowledgeable across diverse issues from civil rights to crisis management
- Real-world advice from a range of guest speakers including college presidents and higher education lawyers
- How legal pressures have transformed the role of general counsel in higher education institutions
- The real-world impact of litigation on student life, governance and campus policies
Weekly Engagement
- Week 1: Management
- Week 2: Levelsetting Legal Concepts
- Weeks 3 and 4: Civil Rights
- Week 5: Academic Speech and Freedom of Speech
- Weeks 6 and 7: Student Life
- Week 8: Data Privacy
- Week 9: Admissions
- Week 10: Institutional Advancement
- Week 11: Governance, Partnerships and Mergers
- Week 12: Campus Business Issues
- Week 13: Campus Counsel: Function and Operations
- Week 14: The Landscape Ahead
- Week 15: Capstone Project
Guest Speakers
Warren Zola
Expert and author on intercollegiate sports law; Faculty, Business Law and Society at Boston College
Joyce P. Jacobsen
Professor of Economics, Hobart and William Smith; Co-author, All the Campus Lawyers
Darryl W. Lunon, II
Associate Vice Chancellor, Senior Counsel Vanderbilt University
Higher Education Leadership Program
Becca Morris, Ed.D.
Director of the Higher Education Leadership Program
Vice President, Campus Life
barile@hws.edu
(315) 781-3900
- Higher education administrators looking to deepen their legal understanding
- Student affairs professionals looking to broaden their understanding of legal implications
- Current and aspiring in-house counsel
- Board members and university leadership preparing for legal challenges
- Anyone interested in the intersection of law and higher education
Why choose HWS’ Higher Education Leadership Program?
The HWS Higher Education Leadership Program offers professional development courses, allowing you to learn from our faculty from anywhere in the world, for one course or all of them, stackable to a degree should you wish to pursue one. Augment your practical and educational experience with the newest issues and trends in higher education. Market the credential on your resume, demonstrating your knowledge and expertise in an evolving landscape.
About Louis H. Guard
Ready to Master Higher Education Law?
Enroll today and equip yourself with the tools to navigate the complexities of campus legal challenges.