The Unique Challenges of the Coming Year(s)

Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@fraternallaw.com The upcoming academic year may be the most challenging in the history of collegiate fraternal organizations! Some campuses may not open, at least not in the traditional sense.  Those that do may not remain open...
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Following Defeats in Court, Harvard Abandons Its Anti-Fraternity and Sorority Policy

Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@fraternallaw.com   Harvard, perhaps the most prestigious and powerful university in the country, has apparently given up its fight to punish its students who elect to join off-campus single sex organizations.  Facing litigation in both...
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Two Good Zoning Decisions – Newark Delaware Changes Course

Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@fraternallaw.com The City of Newark, Delaware embarked on an effort to permanently shut down the Kappa Alpha house that was first occupied by students who were members of the fraternity at the University of Delaware...
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Positive Development in Pennsylvania Zoning Case

Jeffrey Rosario Turco, Law Office of Jeffrey Rosario Turco Another significant zoning victory has been allowed to stand by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Here is the report from Jeffrey Rosario Turco, an attorney from Chelsea, Massachusetts, who represented the Alpha...
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Five Questions For Fall 2020

Sean Callan, Fraternal Law Partners, sean.callan@fraternallaw.com Greek life faces an uncertain future in the near term.  Fraternal organizations face challenges in every facet of their business including housing, operations, finance, recruitment, charitable giving – the list is endless.  As fraternities...
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California Court Of Appeal Holds That Sorority Members Do Not Owe A Duty In A Negligence Case Based On Their Agreement To Abide By University Risk Management Policies And Protocols

Michael Osborne, San Francisco Office of Cokinos | Young, mosborne@cokinoslaw.com In a case of first impression in California, the California Court of Appeal has certified for publication a very recent opinion that rejects a plaintiff’s efforts to base a claim...
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More Guilty Pleas in Ohio University Hazing Death

Jim Schirmer, Manley Burke LPA, jim.schirmer@manleyburke.com In the wake of the death of Collin Wiant on November 12, 2018, Elijah R. Wahib, 22, of Westlake, OH, has pleaded guilty to two counts of felony obstruction of justice, felony permitting drug...
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Lawsuit Over Max Gruver’s Death Will Continue Against LSU

Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@fraternallaw.com The civil lawsuit filed by the family of Max Gruvercontinues on. Gruver died in a hazing incident in the Phi Delta Theta house at Louisiana State University (LSU). Among other defendants, the Gruver family...
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In Tennessee, Hazing Victims Might Be Liable for Their Own Injuries

 Tim Burke, Fraternal Law Partners, tburke@fraternallaw.com DeAudric Halmon filed suit against Lane College alleging he had been severely hazed by the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, a recognized student organization of the College. He claimed to have been blindfolded regularly, “beaten,...
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New Title IX Regulations: What Do They Mean for Greek Life?

 Micah Kamrass, Fraternal Law Partners, mkamrass@fraternallaw.com On May 6, 2020, the United States Department of Education announced the much-anticipated new Title IX Regulations, which become effective on August 14, 2020. These regulations apply to all schools, public and private, that...
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