Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP is pleased to welcome distinguished attorneys Brigid Harrington and Amy Fabiano, as the firm continues to expand its national higher education practice and presence in Boston.

Harrington and Fabiano, who join the firm as senior attorneys from Bowditch & Dewey LLP, represent institutions of higher education, including colleges, universities, and other private schools on legal and risk management issues relating to employment, civil rights including Title VI and Title IX, regulatory compliance, policy development, contract negotiations, privacy, board governance and related matters.

“Brigid and Amy bring a wealth of experience as trusted advisors who are well respected for their ability to help leading higher education institutions in Massachusetts and throughout the country navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges,” said Martin Gaynor, managing partner of Hunton’s Boston office. “They are ideal additions to our higher education practice and align well with our Boston growth strategy.”

In Boston, Harrington and Fabiano join a team of more than a dozen lawyers who serve local, national and international clients in the energy, real estate, financial services, retail and consumer products, higher education and health care sectors among others. Hunton’s Boston team advises on a range of legal matters including commercial litigation, complex business disputes, labor and employment, environmental regulatory, insurance coverage, permitting, intellectual property, compliance and enforcement, white collar, and government and corporate investigations.

The firm has had a presence in Boston since 2018 and made key investments to sustain and advance its New England presence.

Harrington and Fabiano’s colleagues in Boston include Hunton’s higher education practice co-leader, Gerard T. “Gerry” Leone, Jr., who joined the firm last year from the University of Massachusetts, where he served as general counsel (2017-2024). Earlier in his career, Leone was elected to two terms as District Attorney for Middlesex County (2007-2013), served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts (2001-2005), and was Chief of the Criminal Bureau at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (1998-2001).

Hunton’s higher education and private school practice brings comprehensive support to higher education institutions—from strategic planning and prevention, to risk mitigation and remediation, to counseling and litigation—and deliver legal, regulatory, compliance, and ethics services from practices across the firm. Our accomplished attorneys and deep well of resources provide creative risk and crisis management; skillfully plan, prepare for, and preempt difficult situations; adeptly handle pitfalls when they materialize; and mitigate legal, regulatory, compliance, and ethical issues that confront IHEs.

About Brigid Harrington

Harrington is an accomplished attorney with a depth of experience assisting higher education clients with matters involving civil rights compliance including Title IX, VAWA, ADA, Title VI, Title VII, athletics compliance and other laws and regulations related to discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, and retaliation. She works with institutions to draft compliant non-discrimination and harassment policies and procedures, conducts investigations into Title IX and other civil rights matters, and trains faculty, staff, and students on their obligations as members of a college or university community.

Harrington supports clients across a variety of industries beyond higher education, including secondary schools, professional organizations, biotech companies and nonprofits. She has conducted internal investigations and provided guidance on climate assessments and other sensitive issues for employers. Her experience includes serving in interim roles for clients to assist them in managing civil rights and Title IX compliance.

As an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, Harrington contributes to the Committee on Virtual Programming. She has also served as a member of the organizing committee of the Boston Bar Association’s annual higher education conference. She has received certifications from ATIXA in Title IX Administration and Title IX Athletics Compliance, and has received training in Title IX compliance from the Student Conduct Institute at SUNY.

Harrington previously served as the Director of Civil Rights at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she managed a staff of investigators and deputy coordinators and implemented a new Title IX Policy and sexual and gender-based harassment process to ensure that policies, investigations, and trainings were in compliance with federal and state law. She also worked at Harvard University as an Investigator for the Office of Dispute Resolution. Prior to her work in higher education, Harrington was an Assistant District Attorney in New York City.

Harrington earned her bachelor’s degree in International Relations, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her law degree, cum laude, from Boston College Law School.

About Amy Fabiano

Fabiano is an experienced higher education attorney who counsels clients on the complex legal and compliance issues facing colleges, universities, and independent schools today in areas such as labor and employment, civil rights and Title IX, student and employee conduct, regulatory compliance, policy development and training, contract drafting and negotiations, faculty matters, sponsored research, study abroad, student affairs, FERPA, and board governance. Her experience includes serving clients as interim or official outside general counsel and/or Title IX coordinator.

As an active member of the Boston Bar Association, Fabiano serves on the steering committee for the Colleges & Universities Section and is a member of the organizing committee for the BBA’s annual higher education conference. Fabiano is also a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys,  where she contributes to the Membership and Member Services Committee.

Before private practice, Fabiano was the Associate General Counsel at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) where she advised WPI administrators, faculty, and staff on legal issues and risk management, as well as negotiated contracts and drafted university policies. Fabiano also previously served as a Civil Rights Attorney within the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) where she investigated and resolved more than 134 cases, including over 40 cases under Title IX.

Before her public service, Fabiano practiced at an AmLaw 100 firm and focused her pro bono practice on special education and school discipline laws for K-12 schools.

Fabiano earned her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, and her master’s degree from Boston University. She earned her law degree, magna cum laude, from Boston University School of Law.