Student Defense Guides & Articles
Plain-English explanations of the processes students actually face — Title IX hearings, academic dismissal, AI and cheating accusations, FERPA records, accommodations, and suing a school. Written by the lawyer who handles them.
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Anything You Say Can and Will Be Used Against You — Even on Campus
There is one piece of law almost every American can recite from memory: you have…
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Northern District of Illinois Admission: What It Changes for Chicago-Area Students
What admission to the Northern District of Illinois general bar changes for Chicago-area students — and what it does not.
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How One Bad Letter to Your School Can Hurt Your Case Later
A letter to your school can be used against you later. Five mistakes that turn appeal letters into evidence, and what to write instead.
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Is Your School in Financial Trouble? The Federal Warning Signs Families Can Check Tonight
Most families never check whether the federal government has their school on a financial watch list. Here is how to read the warning signs.
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Dismissed, on Probation, or Withdrawing? What Happens to Your Federal Student Aid
When your academic standing changes, federal rules start deciding your aid. What happens to grants and loans after probation, dismissal, or withdrawal.
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What the September 2026 Title IX Recodification Changed — and What It Didn’t
On September 29, 2026, the Education Department recodified the Title IX rules. For students in a case now, the hearing rules did not change.
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Florida Colleges Can Now Point to a Rule When They Say No for Past Misconduct
A new Florida rule, effective August 5, 2026, lets Florida College System trustees deny admission or enrollment for past misconduct. What it means for you.
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How Schools Decide SAP Appeals — and What To Do if Yours Is Denied
A SAP appeal turns on two questions federal law sets: why you fell below the standards, and what has changed. How to answer both.
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The Nicest Email I Got This Week Came From Opposing Counsel
As a matter wrapped up this week, the lawyer on the other side sent a kind closing note. Why that surprised me is the point.
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Why I Pulled an All-Nighter This Week (Again)
Student matters run on the school’s calendar — windows of three to ten business days. What an all-nighter in this practice actually looks like.