Jan 17, 2017
Attorneys Melanie Gurley Keeney, Kate Nash, and Kameron Murphy presented on November 3, 2016, at the Missouri Community College Association’s 2016 Convention in Branson, Missouri. Kate and Kameron made two separate presentations, “Legal Issues for Trustees,” and “Navigating the Legal World of Community Colleges,” an update on the hottest legal issues facing community colleges. Melanie co-presented with Anita Kiehne, Vice President of Claims, Missouri United School Insurance Council and Arthur J. Gallagher in St. Louis, on “Sexual Assault on Campus:
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Jan 17, 2017
Ian Cooper was recently a featured speaker at the Illinois Council of School Attorneys”™ 30th Annual Seminar on School Law in Chicago, Illinois. Ian presented on “Practical and Ethical Considerations in Practicing Before the US Supreme Court and the Illinois Supreme Court.” Ian P. Cooper serves clients in employment, higher education, commercial, and tort matters. Ian regularly serves as lead counsel in significant cases, including class actions and other complex litigation. Ian has tried numerous jury and bench trials
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Jan 17, 2017
Kate Nash and Ian Cooper recently spoke at the Missouri College & University Professional Association ““ HR Fall Conference at the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Ian and Kate addressed college and university human resources professionals from around the state about hot legal topics impacting higher education human resources professionals, including regulatory changes, such as the latest update regarding the FLSA overtime regulations litigation, changes to EEOC guidance and Title VII case law regarding sexual orientation discrimination. Kate and Ian
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Nov 30, 2016
On October 11, 2016, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a prior decision in its most recent sexual orientation case under Title VII and ordered rehearing en banc. Kimberly Hively was a part-time adjunct professor at Ivy Tech Community College, beginning in 2000. In 2013, she sued Ivy Tech, claiming she was “blocked from full time employment without just cause” based on her sexual orientation. Specifically, she claimed that Ivy Tech refused to interview her for full time positions
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Aug 15, 2016
Ian Cooper and Kate Nash won the dismissal of a Title IX case brought against a Missouri College in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiff was a recruit visiting campus who claimed that the College violated Title IX with regard to an alleged assault by a student at a fraternity party. Kate and Ian successfully argued that the plaintiff’s claims failed to meet the legal requirements of a Title IX claim. Ian
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Apr 4, 2016
Missouri employers are currently facing conflicting guidance on how to confront LGBT discrimination issues in the workplace. In October of 2015, a Missouri Court of Appeals held that the Missouri Human Rights Act (“MHRA”)””the state law that governs employment discrimination””does not prohibit sexual orientation discrimination. In contrast, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), the agency tasked with enforcing Title VII””the federal law that governs employment discrimination””has held that Title VII does prohibit sexual orientation discrimination and recently filed two lawsuits
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Nov 9, 2015
Kate Nash and Mollie Hennessee presented to the members of the Missouri Council of Student Affairs Officers and the Missouri Community College Student Affairs Officers on November 4, 2015. Their presentation focused on numerous areas of interest to Student Affairs officers, including an update on recent case law involving Title IX issues, accommodating transgender students, accommodating pregnant students, disruptions and disabled students, and the status of gun rights on college campuses in Missouri.
Katherine L. Nash practices
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Oct 17, 2015
Ian Cooper won dismissal of a faculty member’s claims against a former Dean at Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville in the Circuit Court of Madison County, Illinois on October 16, 2015. The faculty member claimed that the former Dean and another administrator made defamatory statements about the faculty member. Ian successfully argued that the Circuit Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the faculty member’s claims. Ian Cooper practices in the areas of employment, higher education, commercial,
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Sep 16, 2015
Ian Cooper and Kate Nash won an appeal for Stephens College and three of its administrators in the Missouri Court of Appeals on September 15, 2015. The plaintiff was a former student at the College who sued in the Circuit Court of Boone County for breach of contract and various alleged torts arising out of a medical withdrawal. After the trial court granted the College and its employees summary judgment the student appealed. In a unanimous opinion, the Court of
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Aug 20, 2015
Ian Cooper and Mollie Hennessee won a four-day jury trial for Missouri State University on August 20, 2015. The plaintiff was a teacher at the LNU-MSU College of International Business in Dailan, China. The plaintiff claimed that he was terminated because of his race and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The jury returned a unanimous verdict for the University. This was Ian’s second victory this year in jury trials for Missouri State University.
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Kate L. Nash
Melanie Gurley Keeney
Ian P. Cooper
Mollie G. Mohan