Alexander (Sandy) R. Bilus is an Associate at Saul Ewing, LLP's Philadelphia office. He represents clients facing litigation across a variety of industries, including higher education and financial services. His experience includes arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and assisting with argument preparation for cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Much of his practice focuses on higher education, both in litigation and advice. Sandy has defended the Pennsylvania State University in civil litigation and advised higher education institutions on various matters, including compliance initiatives, vaccination policies, and First Amendment issues. His First Amendment practice experience extends beyond higher education as well. Through his work with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, Sandy represented clients bringing First Amendment and other constitutional claims. He received his J.D. cum laude from the Northwestern University School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif, the Moot Court Team, and the Senior Articles Editor for the Northwestern Law Review. Thereafter, he clerked for The Honorable Morton I. Greenberg, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Honorable Paul S. Diamond, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Prior to law school, Sandy received his B.A. from Oberlin College.
Traevena Byrd is General Counsel at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. As the University's chief legal officer, she manages the University's legal affairs, serves as legal advisor to the President and University executive officers, and serves as the liaison to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Traevena previously served as Title IX coordinator and later as the Associate General Counsel at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Traevena currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of College and University Attorneys. Prior to beginning her legal career, she served as the director of the Commission on the Status of African-Americans for the State of Iowa Department of Human Rights and the director of Scholar Recruitment for the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. Her past service includes serving on the Iowa Governor's Task Force on the African-American Prison Population and the Executive Board of the African-American Male National Council. She served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center and as a Trustee for the Tompkins County Public Library, both in Ithaca, New York. Traevena is also currently involved with numerous service projects as an active graduate member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Traevena received both her B.A. (in African American Studies) and her J.D. from the University of Iowa in 1994 and 1997, respectively.
Bob Clothier is General Counsel and Special Assistant to the President at Ursinus College, a small liberal arts college located outside of Philadelphia. Previously, he served as a partner in the Higher Education Practice for Saul Ewing LLP in Philadelphia. There Bob represented and advised colleges and universities on a diversity of matters, including defamation, privacy, harassment and discrimination (including Title IX cases), copyright/trademark, governance and general litigation. He has an extensive background as a First Amendment practitioner providing legal counsel on speech issues relating to faculty, students and others, both on and off campus, as well as relating to institutional and student media and communications. Bob earned his bachelor's degree from Princeton University and his law degree with honors from the University of Chicago Law School. He is active in NACUA, currently serving on the Committee on Program for Annual Conference and previously serving on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College and University Law and the Strategic Planning Committee. He also was a member of the Board of Directors for NACUA from 2011-2014 and served on the Board's Audit and Investment Committee and Board Operations Committee. Bob has written on defamation issues in higher education for NACUA and spoken on libel, speech and other higher ed issues at past NACUA Annual Conferences.
Jennifer L. Papillo a native Vermonter, joined The University of Vermont's Office of the General Counsel in August 2010 in the position of Assistant General Counsel. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Elon University, a Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law, as well as a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center, with a focus on tax exempt organizations and estate planning. Before coming to UVM, Ms. Papillo served as a law clerk for the American Cancer Society, Inc.'s Office of Corporation Counsel in Washington, DC, and a research assistant to Peter F. Lake in the writing of Beyond Discipline: Managing the Modern Higher Education Environment (Hierophant Enterprises, Inc., 2009). Ms. Papillo also worked with Mr. Lake in planning and executing the National Conference on Law and Higher Education in 2008, 2009 and 2010, jointly sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law and NASPA.