Insights & News

This is a terrifying yet very real case study in how easily universities and other schools use Title IX to abuse the Constitutional rights of students accused of sexual misconduct including denying due process, the right to confront and question an accuser, and the right against self-incrimination. When former Houston Texan football player Keith Murphy was a student at Michigan State University, a female student he knew accused him of sexually assaulting her. Under Title IX the school was required to investigate or risk losing federal funds. Operating (initially) without an attorney, Murphy voluntarily provided text message evidence of a […]

If you have been charged with a white collar crime (i.e., a nonviolent crime intended to secure financial gain through deception, and involving a professional or someone with specialized technical skills), then you may be feeling particularly vulnerable.  After all, the consequences for such crimes can be quite serious, and may include imprisonment, fines, and the loss of your professional licenses. Plea bargains are an option for many white collar criminal defendants, and in fact, most criminal litigation ends with some form of a negotiated compromise between the prosecution and the defendant.  In some cases, a plea bargain allows the […]

If you are involved in the early-goings of a business dispute, then chances are that you’ve considered the possibility of a settlement (i.e., a negotiated compromise where both parties agree to an end to the dispute and to further litigation).  Despite the fact that the majority of cases end in a settlement, they are only vaguely understood by most people.  As such, plaintiffs may not realize the point of settlement and the benefits in engaging in negotiations in order to reach a settlement compromise. According to a study conducted by Cornell Law School researchers, aggregate settlement rates ran as high […]

Non-compete agreements have been the subject of controversy in recent decades, particularly in industries — such as the tech industry — where shorter periods of employment are common and freedom of movement between companies is expected.  In a number of states, new laws have been established that limit the enforcement of non-compete agreements and thereby circumscribe their original power. As non-compete agreements strike at the heart of one’s ability to earn a living, they tend to be a frequent source of contract disputes, in the D.C. metro area and elsewhere.  As an employer, you may find that (unless your non-compete […]