Hope Murphy Tyehimba

Hope Murphy Tyehimba, a member of the Labor and Employment Team, is a highly experienced higher education attorney who partners with colleges and universities to address their most complex legal, regulatory, and operational challenges. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education law, she brings a strategic, solutions-driven approach to helping institutional clients manage risk, maintain compliance, and advance their missions.

Hope advises clients across the full spectrum of higher education matters, including labor and employment, faculty affairs (appointments, promotion, and tenure), student affairs, disability-related accommodations, discrimination, harassment and retaliation, sexual misconduct and violence, campus safety, admissions, policy development, and institutional compliance. She works closely with institutional leaders to develop proactive legal strategies that not only resolve immediate issues but also position organizations for long-term success.

Her practice focuses on delivering practical, actionable guidance in high-stakes areas such as internal investigations, litigation and regulatory risk, and compliance with federal and state laws, including Titles VI, VII, and IX; the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA); the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); and the Clery Act. Hope is known for helping clients anticipate emerging risks, navigate sensitive and high-profile matters, and implement defensible, effective solutions.

A trusted advisor to higher education institutions nationwide, Hope regularly collaborates with senior leadership, boards, and cross-functional stakeholders to strengthen governance, improve compliance frameworks, and enhance institutional decision-making. She is also widely recognized for designing and delivering impactful, client-focused training that equips administrators, faculty, and staff with the tools they need to reduce risk and respond effectively to evolving legal obligations.

Prior to joining the firm, Hope served as Senior Associate General Counsel and Practice Group Leader at The Johns Hopkins University, where she advised on some of the institution’s most significant legal and policy matters. She also served as Chief Legal Officer at North Carolina Central University; held Assistant General Counsel roles at North Carolina State University and East Carolina University; served as an Assistant Attorney General in the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office; and practiced as a Senior Associate in private practice. This depth of in-house and government experience enables her to offer clients practical, real-world insight into institutional operations and decision-making.

Hope currently serves as a member-at-large of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) Board of Directors, further reflecting her national engagement and leadership within the higher education legal community. She is a frequent speaker on pressing issues facing institutions at national conferences for legal and human resources professionals, including Title IX and sexual misconduct, admissions, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.