Jackie Gharapour Wernz

About Jackie Gharapour Wernz

Areas of Legal Focus: Title IX (Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation, Athletics)…

Experience

1. Attorney and Consultant

   Education Civil Rights Solutions

   Mar 2024 — Present · Dallas, TX, US

   Through ECR Solutions, I provide thoughtful, legally grounded guidance to help educational institutions and organizations navigate complex civil rights and other legal challenges in education. With decades of experience—as an attorney and counselor, a civil rights administrator in both K-12 and higher ed, and a federal enforcement attorney with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights under the Obama and Trump administrations—I bring unmatched depth and clarity to advising, investigations, hearings, appeals, audits, training, policy, and strategy.I partner with colleges, universities, K-12 districts, and education-adjacent entities to address discrimination based on sex, race, national origin, and other protected traits, including harassment and retaliation. Whether leading impartial investigations, serving as a neutral decision-maker, advising on complex compliance issues, supporting policy reform, or conducting proactive civil rights audits, I center fairness, compliance, and community trust.I also offer Title IX athletics compliance services and advise youth-serving organizations—including camps and extracurricular programs—that may not be directly subject to civil rights laws but still need strong policies to meet insurance requirements, protect public trust, and avoid reputational or operational risks. In all contexts, I help organizations get civil rights right the first time.My services include day-to-day legal and compliance consulting, real-time support for incident response, and customized training. I stay in the trenches with clients, helping them respond as situations unfold. I also conduct investigations, hearings, appeals, and audits. Every engagement is rooted in law, shaped by client mission and values, and designed to deliver sustainable, defensible, and human-centered outcomes.I am a member of the bars in Illinois, Texas, and Idaho.

Education

• University of Arkansas at Little Rock

  B.A.

  1999 — 2004

• Université d'Orléans

  French Language

  2003 — 2003

• University of Virginia School of Law

  J.D.

  2004 — 2007

Skills

• Employment Law
• Higher Education
• Litigation
• Legal Research
• Appeals
• Arbitration
• Legal Writing
• Mediation
• Employment Discrimination
• Trials
• Class Actions
• Civil Litigation