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Overview

A member of Husch Blackwell’s Higher Education group and Managing Partner of the firm's Chicago office, Julie’s practice is dedicated to serving private and public institutions of higher education.

Julie has concentrated experience advising colleges, universities and academic medical centers on legal issues related to campus safety, including Title IX, the Clery Act, serving minors and emergency planning and response; financial aid, including Title IV compliance, loan servicing and collections; institutional transactions including changes of control, ownership, and structure, institutional mergers, and related diligence; as well as development matters, including fundraising, major gifts and permissible use of charitable contributions. She also provides legal counsel on issues and litigation related to faculty tenure, student conduct, disability accommodations and employment issues. 

In addition, Julie has advised institutions on issues involving free expression and academic freedom, student privacy, contracts and public/private partnerships. Julie also focuses on emerging legislative, regulatory and policy initiatives at the state and federal levels impacting institutions of higher education and accreditors through the development and review of policies, procedures and practices. As a team lead for the higher education practice group's accreditor practice, Julie also works closely with accreditors to ensure federal compliance.

Before joining Husch Blackwell, Julie served as the deputy general counsel for higher education and federal student aid at the U.S. Department of Education, and prior to that, as the chief of staff and special counsel to the general counsel for that agency. Most recently, Julie served as associate general counsel at Northwestern University, a major research institution in Evanston, Illinois. Julie has previously practiced as an education associate at a mid-sized Chicago law firm, and started her practice as an assistant attorney general in the Education Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Industry

Services

Recognition

  • Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyer, 2023 and 2024
  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Education, Recommended attorney, 2023 and 2024
  • Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Women in Law Honoree, 2020
  • Crain’s Chicago Business, Most Influential Woman Lawyers in Chicago, 2017

Education

  • J.D., Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
  • B.S., Ohio University
    • Education/Mathematics
    • cum laude

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio

Professional Memberships and Certifications

  • National Association of College and University Attorneys
Experience
  • As key member of the firm's CARES Act resource team, advises clients on accessing COVID-19-driven financial assistance, including the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Main Street Lending Program.
  • Frequently leads objective climate assessments and independent evaluations and investigations relating to high stakes, high profile controversies involving student, faculty and staff misconduct on campus.
  • As a member of the financial aid compliance team, leads institutions' responses to program reviews, compliance inquiries, OIG audits and investigations.
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Legal Updates | April 07, 2020
Title IX Considerations in the Era of COVID-19
Webinar | February 26, 2021
Title IX Advisor Training
Webinar | March 30, 2020
Before the New Title IX Rules Drop

Issues in Higher Education Webinar Series

Seminars | February 12, 2020
Labor and Employment Seminar - Chicago
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