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Patricia Hamill has extensive years of experience successfully representing clients spanning a breadth of matters, including complex commercial litigation, Title IX litigation, receiverships, insurance, securities, consumer class actions, government investigations, and E-rate compliance. Her clients are in a wide range of industries, including technology, insurance, and securities.

 

Patricia is uniquely adept at transforming worst-case scenarios into successful resolutions. She possesses the wisdom and keen intuition one would expect of a litigator with her decades of experience, but she also manages to bring a fresh burst of energy and determination to each new case. She offers responsive service and genuine empathy to each client; she never takes for granted the emotional impact that a high-stakes case can have on her clients. Patricia brings a collaborative approach to handling her clients’ issues, and she tenaciously pursues creative, strategic solutions.

 

As Co-Chair of the Title IX and Campus Discipline practice (visit the firm's dedicated Title IX and Campus Discipline website here), Patricia represents college students and professors nationwide who are subjected to campus disciplinary proceedings or who have been disciplined by their colleges for alleged sexual misconduct following such proceedings. She has represented over 300 students and faculty members nationwide in disciplinary matters or related litigation involving more than 150 colleges and universities. Patricia is also sought out by groups and institutions for her opinion on how to work within the framework of the changing federal laws and guidance. Given her expertise, she was invited to testify before the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) at the full committee hearing on “Reauthorizing HEA: Addressing Campus Sexual Assault and Ensuring Student Safety and Rights” in Washington DC (April 2019) (read the press release, read Patricia's opening statement, or watch Patricia's opening statement).

 

In addition to her practice, Patricia is also a member of the firm’s three-person executive committee that manages and oversees the firm.

Education

University of Maryland Law School, J.D., with honors

  • Law Review
  • Order of the Coif

Bryn Mawr College, B.A.

Clerkship

The Honorable Frank J. Montemuro, Jr., Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • Pro hac vice admissions include federal district courts of Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, and Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and state courts in California, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, and New Mexico.
Group

"She does a great job advocating for her clients' interests, leaves no stone unturned and analyzes things at the deepest level."

Chambers USA 2022

"My family engaged the firm (led by Patricia Hamill) at the worst time in our lives. Patricia (and [her] colleague) were calm, strategic, fully committed … [with] total integrity. Great team. Patricia … led with every molecule in her most impressive brain and in her deep soul. She truly cared and she personally embraced us… She saved our precious family and refused to let lies prevail."

Campus Discipline Client

"She is extremely knowledgeable in the [Title IX] area and very levelheaded. She's a very strategic thinker who can take the possibility of winning, losing or resolving matters into consideration."

Chambers USA 2022

"I have worked closely with Patricia. I can attest that she’s very smart, knows her stuff, and has great judgment. She’s also a pleasure to work with and have on your team (whether you’re the client or co-counsel), and she’s tough when need be yet comes off very reasonable to courts/hearing officers."

Title IX Co-Counsel

"She is an excellent civil litigator with the full range of trial skills."

Chambers USA 2021

"Patricia Hamill was amazing. She was empathic, insightful, responsive and very easy to work with. She went above and beyond in helping me to navigate the situation and helped me to achieve a positive result. I can't thank her enough."

Title IX Client

"Patricia Hamill and team are very professional and communicated extremely well. We felt [our child] was in good hands with the team at Conrad O'Brien"

Campus Discipline Client

"She's excellent and extremely talented."

Chambers USA 2021

Life Beyond the Office

When not working, Patricia spends time with her family and continues her lifelong pursuit of physical fitness, which began in backyard pickup games with her five older brothers, continued through her years in college co-captaining the field hockey and lacrosse teams, and continues today with yoga, bicycling, and hiking (or sometimes just walking the dog!). Patricia has served as the chair of the personnel committee at her church, the Unitarian Society of Germantown, and is a former board member of PathWaysPA, a social service agency providing services and advocacy for women, children, and families.

Honors & Affiliations

  • Testified before US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) at the full committee hearing on “Reauthorizing HEA: Addressing Campus Sexual Assault and Ensuring Student Safety and Rights” in Washington DC (April 2019) (read more: full press release, Patricia's written testimony, and Patricia's opening statement; or watch more: Patricia opening statement and the full live hearing (opening statement at time marker 43:10; participation in Q&A at time markers 1:08:15; 1:58:44; 2:05); Responses to Senator Alexander's Questions for the Record available here and Responses to Senate Democrats' Questions for the Record available here).
  • Selected as a Leading Lawyer for General Commercial Litigation in Chambers USA, The Client’s Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2020-present); Recognized Practitioner (2019)
  • Listed as a “Local Litigation Star” in Benchmark Litigation, Guide to America's Leading Litigation Attorneys
  • Named a 2019 Pennsylvania Trailblazer by The Legal Intelligencer for her legal work related to Title IX
  • Selected by The Legal Intelligencer as the recipient of its 2018 Power Player Award for her legal work related to Title IX
  • Selected as a Philadelphia Inquirer 2019 Influencer of Law Winner for Business Litigation 
  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation; Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2010–present)
  • AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Listed as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer (2010–present)
  • Listed on the Top 50: Women Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List (2019-present)
  • Listed on the Top 100: Philadelphia Super Lawyers List (2022)
  • Former Chair, Philadelphia Bar Association, Business Law Section, Business Litigation Committee
  • Recipient of Philadelphia Bar Association’s Committee Chair of the Year Award, Chair of the Business Litigation Committee (2017)
  • Legal Lean Sigma – Yellow Belt Certified (click here to learn more about this certification)
  • Member, Steering Committee, Philadelphia Women’s White Collar Defense Association
  • Former board member, National Association of Federal Equity Receivers (NAFER)
  • Member, American Bar Association – Criminal Justice Section, White Collar Crime Committee
  • Member, Criminal Law Committee, Federal Bar Association, Philadelphia Chapter

Publications

Speeches & Presentations

Patricia is a frequent speaker and presenter regionally and nationally on Title IX litigation and complex commercial litigation.

 

  • Panelist on "Title IX Updates & The Impact of Dobbs," Rutgers Law School; November 2022. 
  • Panelist on "Current Title IX Issues," Eighth Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault on College and University Campuses; Washington DC; November 2022.
  • “Reviewing the Department of Education’s Proposed Title IX Regulations,” American Bar Association Virtual Panel; October 2022.
  • "The Title IX Landscape in Higher Ed 2022," Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Webinar; August 2022.
  • "The Title IX Landscape: Where are We Now and Where are We Going?," PACDL (Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers) Webinar; July 2022.
  • "The New Regulations: Tips and Strategies," Seventh Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault on College and University Campuses; Washington DC; October 2021.
  • "The Title IX Landscape: Where Are We Now?," Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Webinar; June 2021.
  • "Title IX Today, and Facing a New Administration," FACE (Families Advocating for Campus Equality), A Virtual Panel Experience for Students and Families; February 2021.
  • "The New OCR Regulations Update," Sixth Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault; Virtual; October 2020.
  • "The New Title IX Regulations: How Not to Get Sued – Best Practices and Lessons to Apply from Title IX Respondent Litigation," ATIXA 2020 Virtual Annual Conference; October 2020.
  • "The New Title IX Regulations: A New Era," DC Bar Association Webinar; August 2020.
  • "The Department of Education's New Title IX Regulations: A Closer Look," American Bar Association Webinar; July 2020.
  • "The Title IX Regulations: A New Era," Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Webinar; May 2020.
  • "Title IX & Online Harassment in the COVID-19 Era: What You Need to Know;" Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Webinar; April 2020.
  • "How to Avoid a Title IX Lawsuit;" University of South Florida Title IX Conference; Tampa, FL; February 2020.
  • Video training in "20 Minutes To...Trained: Advising the Responding Party;" ATIXA web-based sexual misconduct training series; June 2019 (read more here; watch preview clips here and here; videos available for purchase directly from ATIXA).
  • Panelist on "Balancing the Scales in the Face of Political Turmoil;" Seventh Annual Rowan University Title IX Summit; Glassboro, NJ; June 2019.
  • “The Changing Landscape of Title IX: How Regulations and Case Law Have Impacted Policies and Procedure;” Seventh Annual Rowan University Title IX Summit; Glassboro, NJ; June 2019.
  • "The New Title IX Regulations and Their Expected Impact," Philadelphia Bar Association, Education Law Committee; Philadelphia, PA; May 2019.
  • “Title IX in the Employment Context: Representing Faculty and Staff Accused of Sexual Misconduct,” PBI Employment Law Institute; Philadelphia, PA; April 2019. 
  • "The Proposed OCR Regulations: What's New?," Fifth Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault; Washington DC; April 2019.
  • "Litigation Basics," Fifth Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault pre-conference; Washington DC; April 2019.
  • Testifying witness before US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) at the full committee hearing on “Reauthorizing HEA: Addressing Campus Sexual Assault and Ensuring Student Safety and Rights;” Washington DC; April 2, 2019 (read more: full press release, Patricia's written testimony, and Patricia's opening statement; or watch more: Patricia opening statement, the full live hearing (opening statement at time marker 43:10; participation in Q&A at time markers 1:08:15; 1:58:44; 2:05); Responses to Senator Alexander's Questions for the Record available here and Responses to Senate Democrats' Questions for the Record available here).
  • Participant at JAMS "Title IX Training and Update" program: co-presenter on "Trauma" and panelist on "Impact of Recent Guidance, Proposed Regulations and Court Decisions on Claimants, Respondents and Schools;" Washington DC; March 2019.
  • Interviewed on Roll Call's "CQ on Congress" Podcast, "#MeToo reconsidered: One feminist on equalizing campus sexual assault rules;" February 2019 (listen to the full interview here).
  • Panelist on "Sexual Molestation and Harassment Claims in the #Metoo Era," Cozen O’Connor Global P&C Claims Think Tank Conference; New York, NY; October 2018.
  • Interviewed on "The World and Everything In It" Podcast, the "Legal Docket" Segment; August 2018 (listen to the full interview or read the transcript of the podcast here).
  • Panelist on "Taking Stock of Title IX: The Past, Present, and Future of Campus Sexual Misconduct Regulation," American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice; Teleforum; July 2018 (full teleforum available here, hear Patricia speak beginning at minute 37).
  • "How to Avoid a Title IX Lawsuit," Sixth Annual Rowan University Title IX Summit; Glassboro, NJ; June 2018.
  • '"Title IX Legal Update in the Devos Era:  What’s New (If Anything)?,” Cape Institute (CLE on “#MeToo, #TimesUp, Clumsy or Criminal, A Look At the New Rules of Romance in Life and College”); Swarthmore, PA; April 2018.
  • Panelist on "Social & Professional Etiquette & The #metoo Movement," Rutgers Law School; Camden, NJ; March 2018.
  • "Expert Witnesses in Title IX Litigation," Fourth Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault; Washington, DC; March 2018.
  • “Lessons Learned and Best Practices from A Title IX Respondent’s Attorney,“ Chicagoland Title IX Consortium; Chicago, IL; February 2018.
  • “The Best Possible Outcome: Settlement Agreements in the Title IX Context” and “The Advisor’s Wish List: Best Practices for Fairer Title IX Proceedings,” FACE ("Families Advocating for Campus Equality”) 2017 Fall Meet & Greet; Dallas, TX; November 2017.
  • "Representing Disciplined Students in Subsequent Litigation Against Colleges and Universities," National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Fall Meeting & Seminar; Boston, MA; October 2017.
  • "How Not to Get Sued: Lessons Learned and Best Practices Gleaned from Title IX Respondent Litigation," ATIXA (Association of Title IX Coordinators)/SCOPE (School and College Organization for Pennsylvania Educators) Joint National Conference; Philadelphia, PA; October 2017.
  • "Regulation Reform: Public Hearings on Title IX Regulations and Guidance," Public Comment before the Department of Education; Washington, DC; October 4, 2017 (access Patricia's full comment here).

  • “How to Prevent a Title IX Lawsuit: Preventative Measures Universities Can Take,” 2nd Annual Title IX ExecuSummit; Uncasville, CT; July 2017.
  • “Informal Discussion of Settlements: What is Possible?” Lycurgus Group, LLC, Third Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault; Washington, DC; February 2017.
  • “Evolving Case Law on Title IX Civil Litigation: The Changing Landscape,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Higher Education Conference; Philadelphia, PA; November 2016.
  • “Whether ‘tis Nobler…: How Recent Student Lawsuits Have Fared in the Courts,” ATIXA (Association of Title IX Coordinators)/SCOPE (School and College Organization for Pennsylvania Educators) Joint National Conference; Philadelphia, PA; October 2016.
  • “The View from the Trenches: Stories from a Title IX Respondent's Attorney,” University of South Florida Title IX Summit; Tampa, FL; September 2016.
  • “Defending the Campus Sexual Misconduct Case: Strategies for Handling Disciplinary and Criminal Proceedings,” National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers webinar; July 2016.
  • “How to Avoid a Title IX Lawsuit by the Accused Student,” Rowan University Title IX Summit; Stratford, NJ; June 2016.
  • “How to Avoid a Title IX Lawsuit," Second Annual Symposium on Representing Students Accused of Sexual Assault; Washington, DC; February 2016.
  • “Major in English for Love and Money,” Bryn Mawr College Alumnae Presentation; Bryn Mawr, PA; February 2016.
  • Panel Moderator, Lunch with Judge Ramy I. Djerassi, Philadelphia Bar Association, Business Law Section, Business Litigation Committee; Philadelphia, PA; October 2015.
  • “How to Avoid a Title IX Lawsuit, ATIXA/SCOPE Joint National Conference; Philadelphia, PA; October 2015.
  • “Title IX Litigation Case Update,” PBI Higher Education Conference; Philadelphia, PA; June 2015.
  • “Settlement Agreements in the Title IX Context: Key Components and a Wish List,” Families Advocating for Campus Equality (FACE) Spring Meeting; Washington, DC; April 2015.
  • “Getting Your Evidence in at Trial and Using It Effectively in a Business Case,” American Bar Association Business Law Section Spring Meeting; San Francisco, CA; April 2015.
  • “Yes Means Yes: The Latest on Title IX and Sexual Assault,” Cape Institute; August 2015, April 2015, and December 2014.
  • “Tips from the Trenches: Effectively Representing Students in Campus Sexual Misconduct Proceedings and Related Litigation,” First Annual Symposium on Navigating Due Process and Title IX Issues in Campus Sexual Assault Procedures; Washington, DC; October 2014.
  • “Cyber Security and Data Breaches: The Legal Landscape,” Sixth Annual American Bar Association’s National Institute on Corporate Investigations and Forum for In-House Counsel, April 2014.
  • “Federal Tax Considerations in the Administration of a Receivership,” Annual Conference of the National Association of Federal Equity Receivers (NAFER); September 2013.
  • Moderator, “How to Effectively Address Data Breaches,” ABA Fifth Annual National Institute on Internal Corporate Investigations and Forum for In-House Counsel; April 2013.
  • “Enforcement, Disclosure, and Global Compliance Expectations: FCPA, the UK Bribery Act and Beyond,” U.S.–Ireland Legal Symposium, October 2012.
  • “What Every Transactional Lawyer Needs to Know About Doing Business with the Public Sector,” Greater Philadelphia Association of Corporate Counsel (DELVACCA); September 2011.
  • “What Corporate Counsel Need to Know About the Refocused SEC,” DELVACCA In-House Counsel Conference; April 2011.
  • “How to Conduct an Effective Internal Corporate Investigation: Avoid the Many Landmines,” DELVACCA In-House Counsel Conference; May 2010.