As higher education faces one of the most complex legal and regulatory landscapes in recent memory, the Boston Bar Association’s College & University Law Section continues to provide a vital forum for collaboration, practical guidance, and professional connection. We caught up with incoming Section Co-Chair Allie Mitropoulos of Nixon Peabody to discuss the issues shaping the field, the Section’s exciting plans for the year ahead, and why getting involved with the BBA can have a lasting impact on your career.
What are you most looking forward to as a Section Co-Chair this year?
I’m most looking forward to continuing the excellent work of the section, creating space for our current members to connect with each other, and welcoming new members into the Section’s community. Colleges and universities are navigating an extraordinary moment, from evolving federal guidance and litigation risk to questions about governance, academic freedom, and campus climate, and there’s incredible value in having a forum where in-house counsel, outside counsel, and colleagues from across institutions can think through these issues together. I’m especially excited about the programming we’re planning (and the 10-year anniversary of our Higher Ed Conference!) and about creating more opportunities for informal connection, whether that’s smaller roundtable discussions or networking events. The Section has a wonderful tradition of collegiality, and I’m looking forward to building on that while bringing in fresh voices and perspectives from across the higher education legal community.
What’s one issue or trend in your practice area you’ll be watching closely?
The past 18 months have been like drinking from a fire hose for higher education. I’ll be watching closely our industry continues to respond to the rapidly shifting federal regulatory and enforcement landscape, particularly around financial aid, enrollment trends, Title VI, Title IX, DEI-related programming, and research funding conditions. Institutions are being asked to interpret new guidance, executive orders, and agency priorities in real time, often while managing litigation risk from multiple directions at once. Related to that, I’m watching how governing boards and senior leadership are recalibrating decision-making processes to respond quickly without compromising shared governance or institutional values and thinking creatively about funding opportunities as the landscape changes. The intersection of law, policy, and institutional mission has rarely been more complicated, and the practical challenges facing higher education lawyers, both in-house and outside counsel, are significant. I expect much of our Section’s programming will engage with these themes throughout the year.
What can members look forward to from the College & University Section this year?
The 10-year anniversary of the BBA Higher Ed Conference! We’re also planning a robust mix of programming, including specialized programming for lawyers new (and newer) to higher education or who have an interest in higher ed law and want to learn more. As always, our programs will focus on the issues most pressing to higher education lawyers, along with sessions designed to give in-house and outside counsel practical takeaways they can bring back to their institutions. We’re also focused on expanding opportunities for members to connect with one another beyond the formal programming, including networking events. And we want to hear from members: if there’s a topic you’d like us to tackle, a speaker you’d like to hear from, or a format you’d find valuable, please reach out!
Why would you encourage someone to get involved with a BBA Section?
It is not an exaggeration to say that I would not be where I am in my career if it was not for the BBA. The College and University Section first welcomed me in law school and I have remained tied in ever since. So many of my connections, colleagues, and friends have been gained through the Section and along with NACUA it has been one of the greatest resources in all ways in my professional life. Getting involved with a BBA Section allows you to build genuine relationships with colleagues who understand your practice, you stay current on developments that affect your work, and you gain a platform to contribute to the profession in significant ways. For newer lawyers, Sections offer access to experienced practitioners and a way to build a professional network that will serve you for decades. For more senior lawyers, they offer a chance to mentor, to shape programming, and to engage with issues at a strategic level. And the BBA community is genuinely welcoming. People show up because they want to be there. Whether you attend one program a year or take on a leadership role, there’s nowhere better than the BBA.
