Phillips Nizer LLP | Sophisticated Legal Service | Press Release - Phillips Nizer launches College and University Integrity Initiative: Ilene Jaroslaw and Bradley Simon, two veteran federal prosecutors, to assist universities and administrators in confronting and resolving admissions investigation issues | Read here
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Press Release - Phillips Nizer launches College and University Integrity Initiative: Ilene Jaroslaw and Bradley Simon, two veteran federal prosecutors, to assist universities and administrators in confronting and resolving admissions investigation issues | Read here

03/20/2019
Two veteran federal prosecutors to assist universities and administrators in confronting and resolving admissions investigation issues

The recent college admission fraud scandal is the latest challenge that colleges and universities face in handling admissions issues. College administrators have discovered that what used to be a challenge in selecting among applicants has now become a potential minefield. Not only are schools, faculty and administrators facing increasing scrutiny and potential liability for decisions that were previously expected to be held in complete confidence, the "Operation Varsity Blues" scandal has now implicated more than one athletics official at  top universities in the alleged fraud and bribery. 

To help colleges get ahead of potential criminal investigations, law firm Phillips Nizer has launched a college admissions practice group -- its College and University Integrity Initiative – headed by partners Ilene Jaroslaw and Bradley Simon, two former federal prosecutors  who also co-lead the firm’s White Collar & Investigations practice group.

The group will investigate and ameliorate potential litigation liabilities for schools, administrators, and athletic staff whose conduct may be subject to civil and criminal sanctions. The team will not only handle internal investigations into the admissions rubric of colleges and universities, but will also craft legally compliant structures for schools to avoid for future problems.

“The academic world is discovering what the business world has understood for years – high stakes and high demand for a service with limited availability can easily lead to black market activities. Unfortunately for schools, all of the incentives for this behavior are in play, and the potential liability can extend well beyond the immediate players to the institutions themselves. We hope to work with schools and administrators to prevent issues in the future,” said Ms. Jaroslaw. “Prudent colleges and universities will conduct internal investigations and put in reasonable safeguards to determine whether their athletics and academic programs have been compromised.”

“As the government continues to look into the problem of college admissions, there is bound to be further prosecutions. It seems like we have hit the tip of an iceberg in terms of problems for the higher education world,” said Mr. Simon.

Ms. Jaroslaw is a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York, where she served as chief of the General Crimes Section. Ms. Jaroslaw investigated and prosecuted complex white collar cases, tried 30 cases to a jury verdict, and argued 30 appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Mr. Simon is a noted white collar attorney who tried 30 cases to a jury verdict and has represented clients in some of the noteworthy government prosecutions in recent years, including former New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi. Prior to founding his firm, he was a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District and served as a Trial Attorney with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Brad and Ilene are extremely experienced investigators and prosecutors. Our team understands the needs of institutions of higher education and can rapidly respond to controversies, identify areas of non-compliance, and propose a remediation plan,” said Marc Landis, Managing Partner of Phillips Nizer.

About Phillips Nizer LLP:
Phillips Nizer, founded in 1926, represents domestic and international clients in business, finance and real estate transactions, intellectual property matters, commercial litigation and tax and estate planning, with a particular focus on the entertainment, fashion, real estate and technology industries. 
 
Phillips Nizer’s principal office is in Manhattan, with additional offices in Long Island and New Jersey.  The firm is a member of Ally Law, a worldwide network of independent, midsized law firms.  To learn more about Phillips Nizer LLP, visit: www.phillipsnizer.com.
 
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