Doreen S. Martin
Doreen advises independent schools on a broad range of legal issues, with a particular focus on employment matters, internal investigations, student safety and discipline, and risk management. She regularly counsels heads of school, boards, and senior administrators on sensitive employee and student matters, including discrimination and harassment complaints, employee discipline and separations, student misconduct and safety concerns, and allegations of abuse. Drawing on her litigation and investigations experience, she helps schools proactively identify and address potential legal risks and represents them when disputes arise before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts.
Internal investigations are central to Doreen's education practice. She regularly conducts independent investigations for higher education institutions and independent schools involving employees, students, and senior leadership, related to allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, bullying, and sexual misconduct, including Title VI and Title IX complaints, and advises schools on appropriate responses and corrective action. She represents schools in Title IX complaints before the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, and in follow-on litigation in state and federal courts related to their handling of misconduct allegations. She has developed and revised policies and procedures in compliance with federal and state laws, including Title IX, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Clery Act, and Article 129-B of the New York Education Law. She also develops bespoke training programs focused on conducting effective investigations and maintaining a respectful workplace, and assists with coordinated PR responses and internal communications.
Doreen's education practice is further informed by her broader experience conducting internal investigations for nonprofit organizations and private entities on behalf of general counsel, management, audit committees, and boards of directors.
Doreen served as Venable's New York office hiring partner from 2011 to 2019.
Related Practices
Experience
Representative Matters
- Representing a law school in New York in an Article 78 proceeding brought in New York State Supreme Court in connection with the school’s decision to suspend a student after Title IX investigators determined that the student violated the school's sexual misconduct policy
- Conducted an internal investigation for a university in Baltimore, Maryland in connection with allegations that a dean of the university created a hostile work environment for employees
- Conducted an internal investigation for a nonprofit organization in connection with allegations that a trustee of the organization sexually harassed an employee
- Drafted an internal investigations protocol for a higher education institution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Conducted an internal investigation for a nonprofit organization in connection with allegations that a chapter president violated the FCPA by making payments to a foreign government official
- Represented a K-12 private school in an Article 78 proceeding brought in New York State Supreme Court in connection with the school’s decision to suspend a student for a violation of the school’s code of conduct
- Conducted an investigation for a Washington, DC charter school in connection with the DC Charter School Board’s decision to close the school’s boarding program after a student committed suicide on campus
- Conducted an internal investigation for a multinational advertising and public relations company regarding allegations that a director engaged in racist, sexist, and inappropriate conduct in violation of the company’s code of conduct
- Drafted a sexual misconduct policy for a charter school in Washington, DC and provided training to faculty and staff on Title IX
- Conducted an internal investigation for an international nonprofit organization related to a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into possible FCPA violations
- Conducted an investigation for a liberal arts college in Virginia involving six separate student complaints alleging numerous Title VI and Title IX violations; recommended revisions to existing Title IX, anti-discrimination, and harassment policies and procedures in compliance with federal and state laws
- Conducted an investigation for a liberal arts college in New York regarding allegations that a faculty member was sexually assaulted by another faculty member at an off-campus conference
- Represented a monoline insurer in litigation concerning representations and warranties that were made regarding the issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities
- Conducted an internal investigation for a mobile technology company regarding whistleblower allegations that business unit salesmen were negotiating inappropriate side deals and receiving kickbacks from certain telecommunications carriers
- Represented an electrical supply company in a DOJ investigation involving structuring and money laundering offenses
- Advised a law school in New York regarding allegations that a student was sexually assaulted by another student on campus
- Represented a national restaurant chain in a New York attorney general investigation involving violations of various consumer protection statutes
- Advised an educational institution regarding allegations that the director of the school's residency program harassed and intimidated students
- Represented an educational institution in a discrimination claim based on race and national origin in violation of the New York State Human Rights Law
- Drafted a sexual misconduct policy and revised student, faculty, and employee handbooks for a law school in New York
- Represented a freight forwarding company in an action brought by the DOJ for export control violations
- Defended a doctor in a criminal action brought by the DOJ involving Medicare/Medicaid fraud
- Conducted an internal investigation for a national weekly magazine publisher regarding whistleblower allegations of fraud and embezzlement
- Represented a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in a civil investigation concerning allegations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) violations and conduct involving the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
- Advised and defended a nonprofit credit counseling company in a class action lawsuit alleging violations of various consumer protection statutes
- Defended former directors and officers of an international manufacturing company against civil RICO and fraud claims
- Advised and defended an employee of an airline repair company in a DOJ investigation involving FCPA violations
- Advised and defended two debt settlement companies in actions brought by the New York Attorney General’s Office for violations of consumer protection statutes
- Conducted an internal investigation for a financial services company related to federal and state investigations into student loan industry payment practices
- Defended a pharmaceutical company and secured a dismissal of a “failure to warn” claim against the client
Insights
Credentials
Education
- J.D. Albany Law School 2000
- B.A. Hartwick College 1997
Bar Admissions
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Member, New York State Bar Association
- Member, National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)
Recognition
- Venable LLP, Benjamin R. Civiletti Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, 2009