GREENSBORO, NC—Womble Bond Dickinson attorneys Beth Tyner Jones and Liz Riley both spoke at the North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU) CFO Conference, which took place Oct. 31 at the O. Henry Hotel in Greensboro.

At the annual gathering of independent college higher education finance officers, Jones spoke about increasing litigation arising from claims of Title IX/campus sexual assault, wrongful death and the risk of significant regulatory fines in areas such as OSHA. Riley discussed the pitfalls of noncompliance with Campus Safety and Security Reporting under the Clery Act, HIPAA infractions and continuing issues involving privacy and cybersecurity.

Best practices in campus risk management, including appropriate insurance coverage, regulatory compliance and review protocols for colleges and universities, were the focus of the interactive presentation. Jones and Riley stressed the importance of knowing what coverage is in place or may be needed, where there are gaps and the importance of appreciating what risks are covered plus potential limits that could result in increased exposure.

Jones and Riley lead Womble Bond Dickinson’s Education and School Law Team.

NCICU is comprised of the state’s 36 private, nonprofit liberal arts, research, and comprehensive colleges and universities that are accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Beth Tyner Jones has nearly three decades of experience counseling employers on all facets of employment law matters. She leads the firm’s US-based Labor & Employment Team, which represents employers in labor and employment litigation as well as counsels employers proactively to manage risk and to help prevent such disputes. She also is a leader of the firm’s Education and School Law Team and serves on Womble Bond Dickinson’s Firm Management Committee. Jones is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Raleigh and Research Triangle Park offices.

Liz Riley focuses her practice in school and higher education law. Her practice evolved as a business litigator with a passion for working with school leaders on the many issues facing schools, colleges and universities as they strive to deal with legal compliance and shifting campus demands in the ever-evolving world of education. Riley works with a variety of public traditional and charter schools, private schools, colleges, universities, foundations, education management organizations (EMOs) and charter management organizations (CMOs).

Liz Riley

Beth Tyner Jones