Stephen Vaughan focuses his practice on higher education, employment advice and litigation, and internal investigations. He advises colleges and universities nationwide on a broad range of legal and compliance matters, including those relating to Title IX, the Clery Act, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student affairs, campus organizations, faculty, and employment law. Stephen has also worked with higher education associations in responding to state and federal policymaking.
He has extensive experience conducting systematic reviews and investigations, drafting policies and procedures, and advising senior leadership and internal personnel on all matters pertaining to harassment, discrimination, and the sexual misconduct process. Stephen regularly provides training, including legally mandated training, to institutions and their personnel nationwide. He also defends higher education clients in the courtroom, particularly in cases related to institutional determinations in misconduct proceedings.
Stephen also counsels employers and companies, including franchisors, on a wide range of employment law issues related to policies, terminations, employee claims, post termination covenants against competition, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary and other duties, fraud, tortious interference, and infringement. He has successfully argued motions for preliminary injunctive relief and dispositive motions in a variety of contexts, and he has served as first chair and co-chair in federal and state courts trials on behalf of his clients.
In addition, Stephen has significant investigation experience, including conducting internal investigations and defending corporations, individuals, and higher education institutions in investigations conducted by Congress, the Department of Justice, United States attorneys and attorneys general of numerous states, and other state and federal agencies.
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Advised universities and colleges throughout the investigation and decision-making processes in cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment
- Conducted numerous investigations of allegations of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment involving students, employees, faculty, administrators, public safety officers, visitors, and vendors at higher education institutions
- Represented universities in investigations conducted by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights
- Conducted numerous hazing investigations of university and college students and organizations, including those involving athletic teams, club sports, Greek life, performing arts groups, and other community groups
- Represented universities in Title IX investigations conducted by OCR, including allegations of discrimination in the Title IX sexual harassment process, educational programming, and single sex scholarships
- Conducted investigations of faculty, administrators, students, employees, and others for violations of handbooks, codes of conduct, manuals, and other policies
- Drafted harassment, Title IX, and sexual misconduct policies, student codes of conduct, and handbooks
- Served as decision-maker for sexual harassment, discrimination, and sexual misconduct allegations for institutions of higher education
- Served as hearing officer in sexual misconduct and Title IX hearings
- Conducted individualized, one-on-one trainings for those found responsible for sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment
- Counseled higher education institutions on retaliation, speech rights, academic freedom, and religious freedom
- Defended and counseled institutions in lawsuits claiming violations of Title IX, negligence, defamation, breach of contract, tortious interference, and due process
- Represented higher education institution in connection with a two-year investigation conducted by the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee with no material adverse findings against the institution
- Represented brokerage firm in arbitration concerning the breach of an independent contractor agreement (dispositive motion granted in client's favor and attorneys' fees awarded)
- Defended multinational company in a state court trial involving tortious interference and other employment law claims (verdict in client's favor on all counts, upheld on appeal)
- Represented former director to a Congressional member in Congressional ethics investigation
- Represented large multinational companies, including franchisors, in federal and state courts nationwide in preliminary injunctions concerning breach of contract, covenants against competition, trade secrets and intellectual property, and business tort
Professional & Civic Engagement
- American Bar Association
- Maryland State Bar Association
- National Association of College and University Attorneys
- The District of Columbia Bar Association
Thought Leadership
- Co-Presenter, “Anatomy of an OCR Investigation,” National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Conference, June 27-30, 2023
- Instructor, "WBD’s 2022 Title IX Hearing Officer Training," November 2022
- Instructor, “WBD’s 2022 Title IX Investigator Training,” October 2022
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Training for Investigators," August 3, 2022 (on-campus training)
- Instructor, “Hearing Officer Training" June 30, 2022 (single institution training)
- Co-Presenter, “The Crystal Ball Says …?!?!? Trends and Challenges Ahead in Employment Litigation,” National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Conference, June 28, 2022
- Presenter, "Hearing the Call: Cultivating and Managing Civil Discourse on Campus," ACCU Conference, February 5, 2022
- Presenter, “The Intersection of Title VII and Title IX: Responding to Sexual Harassment Claims Involving University Employees,” JASPA SSAO Meeting hosted by Rockhurst University, November 10, 2021
- Instructor, “Hearing Advisor Training" October 25, 2021 (single institution training)
- Co-Presenter, “When Title VII Meets Title IX: Addressing Sexual Harassment Claims Involving University Employees,” CUPA-HR Annual Conference and Expo, October 4, 2021
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Hearing Officer and Decision-Maker Training," September 30, 2021
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Training for Investigators," September 22, 2021
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Hearing Officer and Decision-Maker Training," Johns Hopkins University, September 15, 2021
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Training for Investigators and Non-Title IX Adjudication Panels," Johns Hopkins University, September 14, 2021
- Presenter, "Whose Right? Navigating Bias Speech on Campus," ASACCU Conference hosted by Mount Saint Mary’s University, July 2021
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator Training," August 12, 2020
- Co-Presenter, "Title IX Final Rule: Mandating Sweeping Change to Higher Education Campuses," ELA Webinar, May 27, 2020
- Presenter, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," Johns Hopkins University, September 11, 2019
- Presenter, "2019 Generation Z's Influence on Campus Discourse: Expectations, Entitlement, and Legal Rights to Freedom of Expression," University of Dayton, July 2019
- Co-Presenter, "Freedom or Entitlement: Generation Z and their Impact on Higher Education (a discussion of the legal framework and students' free speech rights on campus)," ACCU Conference, February 2, 2019
- Presenter, "Title IX Update: Department of Education's Proposed Regulations," November 30, 2018
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," August 8, 2018
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Advanced Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," August 7, 2018
- Instructor, "Annual Training for New Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," August 6, 2018
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," Hamline University, Minnesota, July 24, 2018
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Advanced Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," Hamline University, Minnesota, July 23, 2018
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," American University, Washington, C., June 8, 2018
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Advanced Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," American University, Washington, C., June 7, 2018
- Instructor, "Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Training for Key Personnel," May 10, 2018
- Presenter, "Title IX/VAWA Training for Coaches and Athletic Directors," University of Minnesota, April 4, 2018
- Presenter, "Sexual Misconduct Around the World," Employment Law Alliance, March 20, 2018
- Co-Presenter, "Unique Challenges in Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking," March 8, 2018
- Instructor, "Complying with NCAA's Policy on Sexual Violence: Training for Coaches, Athletic Directors, & Athletic Administrators, Part 2," February 22, 2018
- Instructor, "Complying with NCAA's Policy on Sexual Violence: Training for Coaches, Athletic Directors, & Athletic Administrators, Part 1," February 8, 2018
- Presenter, "The Ever-Changing Landscape of Title IX," ACCU Conference, February 3, 2018
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Adjudicator Training," January 25, 2018
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator Training," January 24, 2018
- Co-Presenter, "Drafting an Investigation Report," September 21, 2017
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," August 9, 2017
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Advanced Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," August 8, 2017
- Instructor, "Annual Training for New Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," August 7, 2017
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," July 25
- Instructor, "Annual Training for Advanced Title IX Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators," July 24, 2017
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Investigator and Adjudicator Training," College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minnesota, June 8, 2017
- Instructor, "Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Training for Key Personnel," May 2, 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Making Your Sexual Misconduct Policy a 10," April 26, 2017
- Instructor, "Trauma Informed Title IX/VAWA Training for Adjudicators," April 4, 2017
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Training for Investigators," February 23, 2017
- Instructor, "Train the Trainer/Coaching the Coaches: Title IX/VAWA Training for Coaches and Athletic Directors," February 22, 2017
- Instructor, "Title IX/VAWA Training for Chief Academic Officers," February 15, 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Title IX/VAWA Panel Discussion for Coaches and Athletic Directors," January 31, 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Panel Discussion: Title IX Recordkeeping Requirements and Best Practices," January 10, 2017
- Co-Presenter, "Compliance Update: New VAWA Guidance," September 8, 2016
- Instructor, "Annual Title IX Investigator/Adjudicator Training," July 28, 2016
- Instructor, "Advanced Title IX Coordinator Training," July 27, 2016
- Instructor, "Title IX Advanced Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator Annual Training," June 16, 2016
Honors & Awards
- The International Who's Who of Lawyers, 2016-2020
- Super Lawyers Honoree, Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers magazine (Thomson Reuters), 2013-2016
