Title IX
Title IX Compliance & Civil Rights in Education
Helping Educational Institutions Navigate Complex Federal and State Obligations
At Shankar Legal Inc., we help K–12 schools, colleges, universities, and private or nonprofit postsecondary institutions comply with the evolving requirements of Title IX and related California education and civil rights laws.
Title IX applies to:
K–12 schools, colleges, and universities
Private and nonprofit postsecondary institutions receiving federal student aid
Cases involving sexual harassment and sexual assault
Both students and employees
We provide comprehensive legal counsel, policy development, and training to help educational institutions stay compliant, manage risk, and maintain fair, transparent processes.
How We Can Help
Training
Annual Title IX training is strongly recommended for most educational institutions—K–12, community colleges, and public or private universities. We also provide enhanced, role-specific training for Title IX coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, and appeal officers.
We offer sessions virtually or in person, designed to keep your team informed, compliant, and confident in their responsibilities.
Policy Development
We prepare and update comprehensive Title IX and civil rights policies tailored to your institution’s size, resources, and staffing. We also assist with new policy updates for pregnant and parenting students and employees in both K–12 and higher education. We ensure your policies are legally sound, clearly written, and practical to implement.
Initial Case Analysis
Determining whether a complaint falls under Title IX or another civil rights policy can be complex and high-risk. We help institutions evaluate and classify complaints—particularly in multi-party or cross-complaint situations—and determine whether to consolidate cases or apply different procedures.
We guide you in processing allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, or sexual assault in a way that aligns with the law and your organization’s operations.
Documentation Support
Clear, consistent documentation is critical in demonstrating compliance. We help schools and colleges prepare customized notice templates and case-specific communications, including:
Notices of investigation and hearing
Informal resolution agreements
Procedural correspondence and extensions
Responses to attorney or advocate inquiries
Hearing notices and final decisions
We bring structure and peace of mind to your documentation process.
Grievance Procedure Implementation
We advise on issues such as:
Required communications to parties
Structuring and conducting hearings
Managing bias and conflicts of interest
Handling withdrawals or resignations
Cost control and resource management
We help you make legally sound, strategic decisions that align with your institution’s goals.
Investigations
We conduct thorough, unbiased, and compliant investigations for Title IX and other internal civil rights or misconduct complaints.
Our team is trained in trauma-informed techniques. We handle everything from straightforward cases to complex, high-risk investigations involving senior administrators, athletics, or sexual assault allegations. We also provide expert testimony and support in subsequent litigation.
Adjudications & Hearings
Need a decision-maker, hearing officer, or legal advisor to your internal panel? We can serve in any of these capacities, ensuring your process meets all procedural and substantive Title IX requirements. We also advise on findings, remedies, and corrective actions to help minimize risk and ensure fairness.
Appeals
When a party files an appeal, we provide either behind-the-scenes legal guidance or act as an independent external appeal adjudicator to ensure a compliant and defensible review process.
Litigation Consulting
\If your institution faces litigation, we partner with your insurance defense counsel to provide specialized Title IX expertise and strategic insight. We also provide expert witness testimony and assist with remedial action planning, including policy revisions, staffing considerations, and resource allocation.
At Shankar Legal Inc., we deliver clear, practical, and legally grounded solutions to help educational institutions manage Title IX and civil rights compliance with confidence and integrity.
