Partner
McGuireWoods
Washington, D.C.
Farnaz Farkish Thompson serves as a trusted advisor to institutions of higher education, including proprietary institutions, and is a Partner and the Deputy Chair of the Education Industry Team at McGuireWoods LLP. She has conducted investigations, advised clients on employment and education laws, and represented them before federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education. Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Farnaz served as the Deputy General Counsel for Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education and also as in-house counsel at the University of Virginia. She advised the U.S. Department of Education on litigation strategy and worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice in cases arising under federal antidiscrimination laws and the Administrative Procedure Act. She co-authored the 2019 borrower defense to repayment regulations and advised the Office of Postsecondary Education and Federal Student Aid on other regulations governing proprietary schools. Her deep knowledge of education laws and regulations includes the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended; accreditation; borrower defense to repayment; gainful employment; financial responsibility standards; FERPA and other privacy laws; the Clery Act; and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).