Audrey J. Anderson
Audrey Anderson focuses her practice on representing colleges, universities and educational institutions. Drawing on her over 30 years of experience gained as outside litigation counsel, government counsel, and as the general counsel for a major research university, Audrey brings judgment, creativity and practicality to solving her client’s problems across a range of issues arising from the activities of students, faculty and others in learning, living, teaching, researching and working on a college campus. Whether an issue arises under the First Amendment or Title IX, occurs in the lab, the board room or the athletics department, involves counseling, negotiation, or litigation, Audrey helps her clients find practical ways forward.
Her practice involves advising institutions on matters related to Title IX and other investigations; policy reviews and revisions; employment and labor issues, including tenure cases; statutory and regulatory compliance; admissions programs; OCR complaints; and litigation of all types. Audrey serves as a Title IX hearing officer and appellate officer for various universities and works objectively to evaluate evidence and conduct necessary hearings with involved parties. In addition and as needed, Audrey has stepped in to serve as interim general counsel at educational institutions while a search is conducted for a permanent replacement.
Memberships
National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)
American Health Law Association (AHLA)
Tennessee Bar Association
District of Columbia Bar Association
Tennessee Women’s Forum
Public Integrity Task Force (Nashville, Tennessee)
Representative Experience
-
Read More
Advise a public university system on compliance with the rules associated with grants and contracts from NIH, NSF, and the Department of Defense
-
Read More
Representation of King’s Daughters Health System in its joint venture partnership with UK HealthCare, the clinical health care system of the University of Kentucky, that will create new opportunities for both organizations to better serve patients throughout Kentucky, southern Ohio and West Virginia
Publications
Past Events
Media Mentions & Firm News
Accolades
The Best Lawyers in America© — Education Law (2023)
Previous Experience
General Counsel
- Led legal work necessary to separate the university from its hospitals and clinics, including establishing new corporation, supervising the drafting of all necessary agreements, and obtaining review by state Attorney General’s office; after separation, managed execution of agreements and the ongoing relationship with the newly independent medical center
- Managed university response to high profile sexual assault of student by four fellow students on football team in a university residence hall
- Managed university response to unionization efforts by non-tenure track faculty, resulting in withdrawal of all representation petitions after representation hearings, elections and appeal to NLRB
- Advised on numerous faculty tenure cases
- Investigated allegations of wrongdoing by various members of the university community to report to university leadership, including the board
- Worked with committee of the board and led legal negotiations necessary to remove “Confederate” from the pediment of a university building
- Supervised creation of collaboration with private company to provide major funding opportunities for faculty researchers in the area of early drug discovery projects
Government Counsel
- Performed analyses under relevant statutes and Constitutional provisions for new security programs developed by the Transportation Security Administration
- Worked with Department of Justice on strategy and analysis for all significant litigation involving the Department of Homeland Security from 2009-2013; these efforts included analysis and strategy on Arizona v. United States, from the complaint through decision on the merits by the Supreme Court
- Represented the Department of Homeland Security in numerous interagency efforts, including work with the Departments of Defense, Justice, State, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, and the White House
- Represented the United States as part of an interagency delegation to negotiate data privacy provisions with the European Union
Outside Litigation Counsel
- Represented clients in appellate matters before the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Eleventh, and District of Columbia Circuit Courts of Appeals and several state Supreme Courts
- Represented variety of clients before United States Supreme Court at certiorari and merits stages as parties and amici, including the Seattle Public Schools in Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District
- Represented many clients in class action and multi district litigations, including developing motions strategies leading to successful dismissal of claims prior to discovery
- Represented several school districts in litigation seeking increased funding based on state constitutional provisions
- Represented numerous school districts on student assignment plans, including plans designed to create racial diversity, and litigation resulting from such plans