Yale University Title IX Lawyer

Saland Law provides experienced, strategic Title IX advisor services to Yale students, faculty, staff, and postdocs navigating Title IX matters. Led by Jeremy Saland, a criminal lawyer and former prosecutor who advises both respondents and complainants, our firm understands how quickly a campus allegation can affect academics, athletics, research, visas, scholarships, employment, and reputation. Although our office is based in New York City, we advise clients in Title IX cases nationwide, including those arising at Yale in New Haven. We combine practical courtroom insight with a deep command of campus procedures to position you for the strongest possible outcome from day one.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. The statute is set out at 20 U.S.C. § 1681 and related sections, and is implemented by regulations codified at 34 C.F.R. Part 106. For students and employees at Yale, Title IX covers sexual harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and related misconduct when it affects access to education or employment. It also protects against retaliation when someone reports, participates in, or opposes conduct covered by Title IX.

Understanding Title IX’s Framework

Title IX is not a single campus policy. It is a layered framework of federal law, implementing regulations, and university procedures. The core statutory promise appears at 20 U.S.C. § 1681(a), which states that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity funded by the federal government. The regulations at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 instruct schools on grievance procedures, supportive measures, notice, investigations, hearings or equivalent processes, remedies, and appeals. Yale, like other institutions, translates those requirements into campus-specific policies that govern how cases move from report to resolution.

For community members, what matters most is how that framework plays out when an incident is reported. Whether you are bringing an allegation or responding to one, the early decisions you make often shape the entire case. That is why retaining an experienced Title IX attorney-advisor at the very beginning can protect both your rights and your future.

What Conduct Can Trigger a Title IX Case at Yale

The term sexual harassment under Title IX is an umbrella that includes several categories of conduct. While exact wording in campus policies may vary, these categories typically include:

• Quid pro quo conduct by an employee conditioning an educational benefit on sexual conduct.
  
• Sexual assault, including nonconsensual sexual contact and nonconsensual sexual intercourse.
  
• Dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking as defined by federal law.
  
• Unwelcome conduct that is sufficiently serious, through severity, pervasiveness, or context, to limit or deny a person’s access to the education program or activity.

Yale, like many institutions, applies an affirmative consent framework for student sexual interactions. Affirmative consent emphasizes clear, voluntary, and ongoing permission for sexual activity. Silence, passivity, or the absence of resistance does not by itself constitute consent. Consent can be withdrawn at any time, and the presence of alcohol or drugs can impact the ability to consent.

Reporting vs. Filing a Formal Complaint

A report puts the university on notice and can unlock supportive measures, but it may not begin a disciplinary case. A formal complaint asks the institution to initiate a resolution process that may include an investigation and a hearing or a fact-finding meeting before a trained decision maker. As your Title IX advisor, we help you decide which path makes sense based on your goals, risk tolerance, and timeline.

Supportive measures are available to both complainants and respondents. Examples include no-contact directives, academic adjustments, changes in housing or work schedules, safety planning, and campus escort services. These measures are designed to be individualized, non-punitive, and not unreasonably burdensome.

Special Considerations for Yale Students and Employees

Yale is an intricate academic environment with undergraduate residential colleges, graduate and professional programs, laboratories, clinics, and affiliated research centers. Allegations may arise from social settings, group housing, athletic teams, labs, fieldwork, off-campus conferences, or study abroad programs. In each setting, the question is whether the conduct affects the university’s education program or activity and access to it.

For student-respondents, collateral consequences can include athletic eligibility, study abroad participation, academic standing, and graduate school applications. Equally important, future careers where you need licensing, such as an attorney or doctor, will require the disclosure of a finding of responsibility. For complainants, maintaining academic progress, preserving research opportunities, and accessing safe housing and classes often take priority. For faculty and staff, research integrity, grant obligations, tenure timelines, and mandatory reporting rules may intersect with a Title IX case.

We account for these practical realities when advising on interim measures, communication boundaries, and evidentiary preservation. A strong case strategy never loses sight of these collateral stakes.

Parallel Criminal Considerations

Some Title IX allegations overlap with potential criminal offenses, including sexual assault, dating violence, or stalking. While campus processes are civil and administrative, statements you make to the university can have consequences in a criminal investigation by campus police or New Haven authorities. Timing decisions are critical. In some cases, you may want to pause certain interviews, narrow the topics you address, or proceed with caution while we assess criminal exposure. 

Evidence, Privacy, and Technology

Modern Title IX cases rarely turn on testimony alone. Text messages, social media posts, location data, card swipes, key fob logs, access records, group chats, photos, and videos often shape findings. We help clients promptly preserve and collect relevant materials. We also help you avoid creating new content that harms your position. When mental health or medical records are at issue, we discuss the pros and cons of voluntary disclosure, scope limitations, and whether those records are truly necessary for your case.

Privacy is another vital concern. FERPA and university confidentiality rules govern records and disclosures. We advise on what the institution may share and with whom, how to handle roommates or lab partners who ask questions, and how to respond if a professor, coach, or supervisor reaches out.

Respondents: Defending Your Future With Precision

For respondents, every misstep can be amplified. We work to avoid speculative statements, unnecessary admissions, or off-the-cuff texts that can be misinterpreted. We examine whether the allegations meet policy definitions, whether the conduct falls within program or activity scope, and whether the evidence supports or undermines the claims. We help you identify witnesses who can testify to context, capacity, and consent, including affirmative consent where applicable. Where alcohol is involved, we engage with how impairment may affect perception, memory, and the ability to consent, and we address those issues with careful, fact-driven analysis.

Complainants: Building a Clear, Credible Record

For complainants, early clarity and documentation matter. We help you organize a timeline, identify corroborating evidence, and articulate how the conduct affected your access to education. We prepare you for interviews, help you respond to credibility challenges, and advocate for supportive measures that actually meet your needs. If informal resolution is an option you want to consider, we help define acceptable terms and ensure the process remains voluntary and equitable. If a hearing is warranted, we prepare comprehensive submissions and anticipate defenses so there are no surprises when it counts.

Informal Resolution Options

Many institutions allow informal resolution after a formal complaint is filed, typically with voluntary, written consent of both parties and appropriate safeguards. Possible outcomes range from educational interventions to tailored agreements that address the needs of the parties and the community. Informal resolution is not appropriate for every case. The question is whether it advances your goals better than a hearing would. We evaluate leverage points, propose terms, and protect you from one-sided conditions.

Timing and Case Management

Title IX processes are designed to be reasonably prompt, but academic calendars, holidays, exams, and witness availability can affect timelines. If you need extensions for good cause, we draft targeted requests that preserve fairness without signaling weakness. We prepare you for each milestone, from preliminary interviews to final decisions, so you are never guessing about what comes next.

Why Choose Saland Law for a Yale Title IX Matter

Jeremy Saland’s background as a criminal lawyer and former prosecutor guides our approach to investigation, evidence analysis, and advocacy. We know how decision makers evaluate credibility. We understand how precision in language can be the difference between a finding of responsibility and a finding of not responsible. Just as important, we are candid with clients about strengths and vulnerabilities so we can make informed decisions together.

Our Title IX assistance is both holistic and tailored. For some clients, the best outcome is a documented informal resolution that avoids a contested hearing and limits future disclosure. For others, the best outcome is a full defense at a live hearing, followed by a meticulously crafted appeal. For complainants, success may mean robust remedies that allow true access to education, accountability that is proportional and fair, and safeguards against future harm. Whatever your goal, we build a plan to reach it.

What To Do Right Now

If you have been accused of sexual assault, dating violence, or nonconsensual sexual contact, do not contact the other party and do not try to gather statements from friends in a way that can be perceived as interference. Preserve your messages, photos, and location records. Consider writing down a private timeline while events are fresh in your memory. Identify potential witnesses to specific events or those who can provide insight and clarity into the relationship dynamicsThen speak to a Title IX advisor before your first interview with the university.

If you are a complainant considering a Title IX report, start by documenting what happened and how it affected your ability to participate in classes, research, athletics, or work. Save communications, identify potential witnesses, and consider what supportive measures would allow you to feel safe and to continue your Yale experience without interruption. A Title IX advisor can help you decide whether to initiate a formal complaint, pursue informal resolution, or focus first on protective measures.

Speak With a Yale University Title IX Lawyer-Advisor

Whether you are making a report or responding to one, your next step matters. Saland Law advises complainants and respondents in Yale Title IX cases with the discretion, urgency, and thoroughness these matters demand. We are headquartered in New York City but handle Title IX cases nationwide. Contact Saland Law to confidentially discuss your situation, understand your options, and begin a tailored strategy to protect your education, your work, and your future.

Working with an experienced Title IX attorney-advisor ensures you are not navigating Yale’s policies and federal regulations alone. These cases are complex, often emotional, and filled with consequences that extend far beyond campus. Our firm provides the perspective and advice necessary to safeguard your rights while guiding you toward a resolution that aligns with your goals. When the stakes involve your academic standing, career trajectory, or personal safety, having Saland Law in your corner can make the critical difference between a damaging outcome and a secure future.