Fordham University Title IX Lawyer

Allegations under Title IX can reshape a student’s life in a matter of days. At Fordham University, the process moves quickly, the rules are technical, and the stakes extend well beyond campus. Any student or faculty member who tries to navigate the process on his or her own not only risks compromising and further jeopardizing his or her position at the school and within the criminal or family court system, but setting themselves up for failure that can have life altering consequences. Saland Law is led by criminal lawyer and former prosecutor Jeremy Saland, and our firm advises both respondents and complainants in Title IX matters arising at Fordham’s Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses, as well as in Fordham’s graduate and professional programs. We focus on careful preparation, compelling advocacy, and strategic action that protects education, reputation, and future opportunities, while also managing potential or actual parallel cases in both the criminal and family courts.

What Makes Fordham Cases Distinct

Fordham has two major undergraduate campuses and several graduate schools where academic and social life intersect with residential policies, athletics, and professional training. That setting adds layers to Title IX matters. A report may begin in a residence hall but affect eligibility for a clinical placement or internship. A no contact directive may limit access to classes, labs, clubs or teams. A case can also impact scholarships, study abroad opportunities, or graduate admissions. Understanding how campus procedures interact with these practical realities is as important as mastering the federal rules. Simply, your ability to study or work at Fordham is on the precipice without the right advocacy and advisor whether you are a complainant trying to handle and work through your abuse or a respondent accused of exaggerated or fictitious and malicious wrongdoing. 

How a Fordham Title IX Case Typically Unfolds

The Initial Report and Supportive Measures

A case often starts with a report to the Title IX Office, a resident assistant, campus safety, a coach, or a trusted faculty member. From there, the Title IX Coordinator identifies supportive measures. These can include academic flexibility, counseling referrals, housing changes, work or class schedule adjustments, and mutual no contact directions. Supportive measures are available to both complainants and respondents and do not require a formal complaint.

Formal Complaint and Notice

If a formal complaint is filed, the school issues a written notice describing the allegations, identities of the parties if known, and the conduct alleged to violate policy. This notice introduces rights and responsibilities, including the right to an advisor of choice. For respondents, the notice is the first chance to assess risk. For complainants, it is the first assurance that the school will move forward.

Investigation and Evidence Gathering

The investigator collects statements, messages, social media content, photographs, access logs, video when available, card swipe records, and other materials. Parties can identify witnesses and provide evidence that supports their account. The timing of messages, the language in posts, and the presence or absence of contemporaneous reporting can help or hurt either side. In cases that turn on sexual contact and affirmative consent, details about alcohol use, capacity, and the sequence of events become critical. Precision matters. So does tone.

Review, Questions, and Decision

Schools must give both parties a chance to review relevant evidence. Depending on the policy in effect, there may be a hearing or a meeting with a decision maker. Advisors can help frame questions to test credibility and resolve inconsistencies. The standard of evidence at most universities is preponderance of the evidence, which means more likely than not. A written outcome explains the findings, the rationale, and any sanctions or remedies.

Appeals and Informal Resolution

Both parties usually have access to an appeal that is limited to grounds such as procedural error, new evidence, or inappropriate sanction. Many schools also offer an informal resolution process, which can include facilitated agreements that avoid a full adjudication. Informal resolution is not appropriate for every matter, and it requires informed, voluntary consent from both parties.

How We Help Respondents

When you are the subject of a Title IX complaint, the first step is to pause and plan. A casual text or a well meant call can create new issues. We work quickly to secure supportive measures that protect access to classes and activities, then we build the defense. That often starts with timeline reconstruction. We gather or make efforts to either secure or preserve messages, ride share receipts, photos, door swipe data, and witness names. We analyze how affirmative consent is defined in campus policy and how those definitions apply to the interactions at issue.

We prepare you for interviews with a clear understanding of the facts and a calm approach to questions. If a hearing is scheduled, we not only prepare you to testify, respond to cross-examination, and help you with written submissions, but we prepare ourselves, as your attorney-advisors, to ask the right questions that probe memory, perception, and contradictions without escalating emotions that can make you look like the “bad guy”. When credibility is central, the best defense often rests on consistent details, objective time stamps, and corroboration from neutral sources rather than volume or outrage.

We also manage risk when there is potential criminal exposure or that within the confines of a family court Article 8 order of protection proceeding. Allegations framed as sexual assault or dating violence can be referred to law enforcement. We explain how and when to assert the right to remain silent, how to handle police requests, and how to avoid statements that might be misconstrued. Protection of your rights in the campus process should never undermine your position in any parallel criminal investigation.

How We Support Complainants

If you are a complainant, you need an advocate who balances compassion with command of the process. We help with safety planning, supportive measures, and the practical steps that make daily life possible during a case. We organize evidence in a way that is easy for investigators to follow and we take the time to identify and secure it to ensure that they can do so. We help articulate how the conduct affected your education. In consent cases, we explain how capacity, impairment, and withdrawal of consent are analyzed. We also address privacy concerns and expectations about timing. Our role is to ensure the school takes your report seriously, follows its procedures, implements remedies that restore or preserve your access to education, and puts you in the best and healthiest place to continue with your education in a safe and stable manner.

Evidence That Often Matters

Digital evidence tends to anchor campus cases. Time stamped messages, social media posts, photos, and location data can illuminate a night that otherwise becomes a blur of conflicting memories. Text messages or DMs can corroborate or contradict allegations and claims. Physical evidence, like clothing or medical records, can matter in some circumstances. Access records show who entered or left a residence hall and when. Witnesses can attest to demeanor, intoxication, and statements made right after an event. We help sort strong proof from speculation and present it in a clear timeline that aligns with the applicable definitions of sexual contact and affirmative consent.

When a Criminal Case Overlaps With Title IX

Campus processes and criminal investigations are separate. The standard of proof, the rules of evidence, and the goals are different. A student can face a Title IX case even if the district attorney declines charges. Conversely, a campus finding can influence how law enforcement views the same facts. We advise on whether and how to provide a statement to police, how to handle requests for devices, and whether to seek a formal order of protection in criminal court or a family court restraining order. We also work to minimize unnecessary public exposure. The aim is to protect your rights in both arenas without letting one process ambush the other.

Athletics, International Students, and Professional Programs

Athletes and international students have additional concerns. An interim suspension can derail a season. Visa status and travel can be affected by disciplinary notations or criminal allegations. Professional programs raise licensure and character considerations that demand careful planning. We coordinate with academic advisors when appropriate and craft approaches that preserve options while the case proceeds.

Common Missteps To Avoid

A Title IX case invites impulsive reactions. Quick messages to friends, social posts that vent frustration, or attempts to contact the other party despite a no contact directive can complicate the outcome. Delays in saving evidence can be costly. Waiting to get help can close doors that are easiest to open early in the process. The better path is deliberate. Start with supportive measures, secure and organize your evidence, and address questions through an advisor rather than improvising under stress.

What To Do Right Now

If you received a notice from Fordham’s Title IX Office, or if you are considering filing a complaint, a few early steps can make a meaningful difference. Save all messages, posts, photos, and receipts. Write out your timeline while details are fresh. Identify witnesses who saw or heard interactions before or after the event. Avoid discussing the case in group chats. Do not violate any no contact directive. Reach out to an experienced Title IX attorney-advisor who understands both the federal rules and the day to day campus process.

Why Saland Law

Experience matters in campus cases. Jeremy Saland’s background as a criminal lawyer and prosecutor informs how we evaluate evidence, anticipate opposing strategies, and manage parallel criminal exposure. Our practice is built around advocacy for both respondents and complainants, which gives us a realistic view of how each side frames consent, credibility, and impact. We appreciate that a Fordham case does not occur in a vacuum. Your next semester, your scholarship, your athletic eligibility, your graduate applications, and your relationships are all part of the picture. Our approach blends legal knowledge with careful planning that keeps your goals front and center.

We do not believe in generic templates or one size fits all defenses. We will read the specific policy language that applies to your case, map the procedure that Fordham will use, and calibrate strategy to match the facts. When a hearing is required, we prepare focused questions that test reliability without turning the process into a spectacle. When informal resolution makes sense, we pursue results that are honest and workable. When an appeal is warranted, we target the strongest grounds and explain them with clarity.

Speak With Saland Law Today

Facing a Title IX case at Fordham University is never simple. Allegations of sexual assault, dating violence, or nonconsensual sexual contact threaten more than immediate discipline; they can affect your education, career opportunities, and reputation for years to come. Whether you are a respondent defending against serious claims or a complainant seeking a fair and supportive process, you deserve an advocate who understands the rules, the stakes, and the strategies that work. Led by defense attorney and former prosecutor Jeremy Saland, Saland Law provides the experience and insight needed to protect your rights while guiding you through every stage of the Title IX process.

Your future cannot be left to chance. With Saland Law by your side, you gain a trusted ally who will fight to preserve your education, protect your interests, and ensure that your voice is heard. If you or your child is involved in a Title IX matter at Fordham University, contact Saland Law today to schedule a confidential consultation and take the first step toward safeguarding your future.