TOLEDO, Ohio — Sports law attorney and Title IX consultant Marissa W. Pollick has joined the Toledo, Ohio, office of the full-service business law firm Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, LLP, as Of Counsel. She is a graduate, with high distinction, of the University of Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School.
Pollick, who has more than 30 years of experience practicing law and 12 years of experience on the faculty at the University of Michigan, brings to the firm her knowledge in labor and employment law, civil rights litigation and Title IX investigations and compliance. She will serve as Shumaker’s chair, Title IX investigations, compliance and litigation.
As a student-athlete at the University of Michigan, Pollick was a four-year varsity letter winner in tennis and two-time team captain. As a professor, Pollick teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in sports law; race and gender discrimination in sport; and sport and public policy.
“I broke many gender barriers in athletics in both high school and college and have worked as an attorney and advocate to remedy inequities for girls and women, such as limited participation opportunities and the lack of scholarships and resources at the intercollegiate level,” Pollick said. “Title IX issues are my personal and professional passion. It is a primary focus of my academic research as well as an important part of my law practice.”
Pollick will provide strategic advice and counsel to Shumaker clients on Title IX matters. She will also conduct audits, policy reviews and investigations and provide diversity training to coaches and administrators on athletic compliance.
“Title IX is a big concern right now since many schools across the country are being investigated by the Office for Civil Rights,” Pollick said. “There are hundreds of investigations pending related to sexual assault and harassment that fall under the purview of Title IX as well as investigations related to non-compliance in athletics. It’s also an issue of enormous concern at the K-12 level.”
Prior to joining the Shumaker team, Pollick was a shareholder with the Detroit, Mich., law firm Butzel Long, P.C., and most recently was in private practice as a sole practitioner and consultant.
About Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
Founded in 1925, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP is a full-service law firm with more than 245 lawyers and five offices in Toledo and Columbus, Ohio; Tampa and Sarasota, Fla.; and Charlotte, N.C. Shumaker is a premier provider of quality legal services. Whether it's commitment to clients or work in the community, involvement lies at the core of all of Shumaker’s initiatives.