Our Services

 Elizabeth Abdnour Law, PLLC provides a variety of legal and consulting services to both individuals and institutions in the areas of Title IX, civil rights, special education, school discipline, and employment law, as well as a number of issues unique to higher education.

Title IX and civil rights assistance for students, staff, and faculty at K-12 and higher education institutions

• Representation and advising in Title IX and civil rights investigations, hearings, and appeals involving sexual assault, sexual harassment, relationship violence, stalking, discrimination, and retaliation
• Litigation and non-litigation advocacy on behalf of victims of discrimination and harassment based on gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, pregnancy, age, citizenship status, and any other protected class
• Filing Title IX and civil rights administrative complaints with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), and other state and federal agencies
• Addressing schools' failure to accommodate disability-related services or needs

Representation in institutional proceedings on behalf of students, staff, and faculty at higher education institutions

• Academic appeals and grievances
• Research integrity/misconduct investigations
• Student conduct hearings and proceedings
• Grievances related to the determination of eligibility for reasonable accommodations
• Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) complaints
• Denial of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests
• Financial aid issues

Special education, school discipline, and bullying assistance for K-12 students and parents ​

• Representation in special education matters, including:
  • Initial evaluations and Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs)
  • Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Section 504 accommodation plan meetings and plans
  • Disputes with your child's school over appropriate disability and educational services
  • Failure to provide appropriate services to students with disabilities
  • Representation in state complaints with the Michigan Department of Education and due process complaints and hearings regarding violations of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act (IDEA/IDEIA) and/or the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE)
• Representation in school discipline matters, including:
  • Suspensions
  • Expulsions
  • Hearings
  • Appeals
  • Involuntary placements and/or transfers
  • Other disciplinary matters
• Representation in bullying matters

Workplace discrimination and harassment of employees

• Sexual harassment and other types of protected class discrimination and harassment, including race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, etc.
• Retaliation for engaging in protected workplace activity

Other unlawful discrimination and harassment

• Disability discrimination, including violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, or Michigan's Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act
• Violations of Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
• Personal injury resulting from sexual assault, failure to accommodate a disability, and hate crimes

Consulting, investigative, and training services for public and private employers, educational institutions, nonprofits, and school groups

• Independent investigative, advisor, and adjudicator services for human resources, discrimination, harassment, and Title IX matters
• Individualized, collaborative training based on current law as well as your institution or organization's own internal policies
• Policy writing and review services
• Institutional program audits
• Expert witness services
• Best practices in civil rights and Title IX investigations
• Trauma-informed investigations
• Legal compliance in educational institution response to discrimination, harassment, and bias incidents