By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. and Jennifer A. Riley
Duane Morris Takeaway: We are proud to announce the release of the first-ever Higher Education Class Action Review – 2026, a comprehensive examination of the rapidly evolving world of litigation involving colleges and universities.
Class action lawsuits against colleges and universities have multiplied in both frequency and complexity over the last several decades. What began as isolated disputes involving admissions practices or employment discrimination has evolved into a broad spectrum of high-stakes litigation touching nearly every aspect of institutional operations. Institutions now confront class claims involving tuition and fee refunds, antitrust allegations, Title IX compliance, financial aid practices, student privacy, labor and employment disputes, disability accommodations, consumer protection statutes, data breaches, and the use of emerging educational technologies.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated many of these trends, producing an unprecedented wave of litigation that tested the contractual, fiduciary, and ethical obligations universities owe to students, faculty, and employees alike. At the same time, plaintiffs’ attorneys increasingly recognized that educational institutions possess the precise characteristics that make them attractive targets for aggregate litigation: substantial assets, expansive data systems, and policies affecting large populations.
As a result, colleges and universities now operate in an environment where a single institutional decision can trigger nationwide claims involving thousands of individuals and expose institutions to extraordinary legal and reputational risk.
Yet higher education remains unlike any other industry. Universities occupy a unique legal and cultural space shaped by academic freedom, shared governance, nonprofit missions, constitutional obligations, and public trust. Courts are often tasked with balancing these longstanding traditions against modern doctrines of consumer protection, employment law, privacy regulation, and mass tort procedure.
The Higher Education Class Action Review – 2026 explores the procedural frameworks governing class certification, the substantive legal theories most frequently asserted against educational institutions, and the strategic considerations that shape litigation outcomes. Designed for attorneys, university counsel, administrators, policymakers, academics, and risk management professionals, the book provides a detailed roadmap for understanding the rapidly expanding role of class action litigation in education.
The Higher Education Class Action Review – 2026 offers readers a timely and authoritative guide to one of the most consequential developments in modern education law. Get your eBook copy today!
Stay tuned to the Class Action Weekly Wire for more news and information about the Higher Education Class Action Review – 2026.