Practice Areas

Educational Institutions

Pugh, Jones, Johnson & Quandt represents colleges and universities, academic medical centers, public school districts and boards of education in

• labor and employment
• professional malpractice and personal injury
• trial and appellate practice
• healthcare fraud and abuse compliance
• criminal defense and internal investigations
• student matters
• public and private financing
• sports medicine and law
• real estate transactions and litigation
• regulatory compliance
• insurance coverage
• debarment and decertification

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ATTORNEYS (NACUA)
One of our partners is a member of NACUA, and another has served as a speaker at NACUA's annual conference. PJJQ has also hosted members of NACUA in its offices attendant with NACUA's annual conference, and looks forward to continued support of and participation in its efforts.

LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
PJJQ has defended claims involving tenure, termination, discrimination, harassment, traditional labor and other employment claims.  We handle retaliatory discharge/whistleblower claims, workplace violence, restrictive covenants, EEO investigations/position statements, ERISA/FMLA, labor arbitrations and mediations, and provide counseling to our clients on a wide-range of employment matters.

PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE AND PERSONAL INJURY
PJJQ has significant experience in medical and professional malpractice claims brought against medical school faculty, university medical centers and student health services; toxic tort; civil rights; tort and defamation.

TRIAL AND APPELLATE PRACTICE
PJJQ represents educational institutions in federal and Illinois trial and appellate courts, the Illinois Court of Claims, public hearings, administrative hearings (including campus grievance and EEO administrative proceedings), and administrative investigations brought by the Illinois Office of Executive Inspector General.

HEALTHCARE FRAUD AND ABUSE COMPLIANCE
PJJQ has experience handling investigations--both internal and government-initiated--of issues in healthcare fraud and abuse law, the False Claims Act, antikickback law, the FCPA, government procurement requirements, and the FDA.  We also have experience investigating conflicts of interest involving improper payments to researchers and physicians, both domestic and abroad.  We are well-versed in preventative training in the healthcare field.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS
Three of PJJQ's partners were trial attorneys at the Department of Justice, including one who was the former Chief of the Criminal Division, and later Civil Division, of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago.  We have extensive experience in white-collar criminal matters, whistleblower cases, ethics cases, and allegations of misconduct involving faculty and students.

STUDENT MATTERS
PJJQ has experience defending cases involving student athletes, including medical clearance to participate in sports, negligent supervision of athletic practices, and disability claims by students concerning participation in school athletics. PJJQ also has experience defending claims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, battery, invasion of privacy, negligent security, officer misconduct, and student suicide.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FINANCING
PJJQ has extensive experience in financing of public and private educational institutions. PJJQ serves as bond counsel, underwriter's counsel, and bond issuer's counsel for public universities and public school districts. PJJQ provides advice to educational institutions concerning the legality and tax-exempt nature of borrowings, serves as counsel in obtaining loans and letters of credit, and counsels our educational clients concerning complex financial agreements.

SPORTS MEDICINE AND LAW
PJJQ is among the founders of the Institute for Sports Medicine and Sports Law, an institute addressing medical and legal issues in collegiate, professional, Olympic and high school athletics (www.ismsl.org). PJJQ attorneys have authored articles on legal liability of educational institutions, and have experience in litigating athletes' claims in federal and state courts.

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS AND LITIGATION
PJJQ has a full service commercial real estate litigation and transactions practice, including acquisitions and dispositions, development, leasing, financing, property tax appeals, and has served as developer's counsel in the construction, redevelopment, and renovation of historic facilities, including dormitories located on college and university campuses.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
PJJQ lawyers provide counseling regarding public affairs and communication strategies; compliance with state and federal discrimination laws; medical leave, disability claims and requests for accommodation under the FMLA and ADA; FLSA; privacy issues and FERPA compliance; drafting and revising employment and campus policies and practices pertaining to hiring, employment, students, faculty and administrators; medical and sports risk management; and review of grant proposals.

INSURANCE COVERAGE
PJJQ lawyers have extensive experience in insurance matters.  The Firm analyzes coverage programs and litigates insurance disputes involving all types of claims, including breach of contract, negligence, misrepresentation, fraud, breach of fiduciary duties and various other first and third-party property damage and bodily injury claims, including advertising injury and wrongful death claims.

DEBARMENT AND DECERTIFICATION
PJJQ has represented school boards in debarment and teacher decertification proceedings. A PJJQ partner has served as the hearing officer for a local board of education on proceedings related to closing schools and removing principals for failure to comply with the board of education's academic achievement policies.

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