Melissa Carleton advises higher education entities in a variety of areas, including student affairs, student conduct, disability accommodations, student confidentiality, policies, contracts, governance, accreditation, and employment matters. Melissa takes a practical and proactive approach to legal issues. She particularly enjoys working on collaborative matters between educational entities.
Melissa has a great deal of experience in guiding the institutional response to allegations of sexual abuse. She regularly works with colleges, universities, career-technical schools, K-12 school districts, and private elementary and secondary schools to comply with Title IX and, where applicable, the Clery Act, as well as implementing guidance and regulations. Melissa is available to conduct impartial investigations, as well as to provide reviews of policies, procedures, and case files from a neutral perspective. Melissa trains administrators, staff members, and other investigators using real-world examples to help learn how to navigate the trickiest situations with regard to sexual misconduct.
