Four Ropes & Gray Attorneys to Present on Sponsored Research and Technology Transfer at the NACUA Fall 2026 CLE Workshop

Four attorneys will present at the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) Fall 2026 CLE Workshop: Sponsored Research and Technology Transfer in Washington, D.C. November 18–20.

In 2026, the university research enterprise faces sweeping federal scrutiny, escalating legal and compliance risks, and formidable financial headwinds.

Higher education and health care counsel Steve Sencer will provide opening remarks and present on the opening plenary session “The Future of the University Research Enterprise.” Panelists will examine how university counsel and research administrators can navigate emerging challenges and position their institutions to advance their research missions.

Higher education and health care counsel Minal Caron will moderate a panel including higher education and health care associate Christina Ravelo on “Conducting Research with International Collaborators or Components: Funding Agency and Institutional Perspectives.” Panelists will discuss how federal funding agencies access the security risks of foreign collaborations, including indirect collaborator risk, and how institutions can mitigate those risks.

Minal will speak on the panel “Institutional Research Security Programs: Unpacking Government Expectations, Best Practices, and What’s Coming Next.” Panelists will explore benchmarking and best practices on institutional research security governance structures, policies, practices and implementation challenges, among other topics.

Higher education and tax partner Kendi Ozmon will present on the panel “Cyclops, Sirens, Scylla & Charybdis: Managing Compliance Risks in the IP Commercialization Odyssey.” Panelists will address the developments in compliance regimes that research commercialization may trigger and offer practical guidance for navigation while advancing translational goals.

NACUA seeks to enhance legal assistance to colleges and universities by educating attorneys, compliance officers, and administrators on the nature of campus legal issues and offers continuing legal education programming.