Michael DiSiena is a partner of the firm's Higher Education practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Michael served as general counsel for a private, independent, not-for-profit higher education institution chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
Attuned to the unique dynamics of the education community and drawing upon his experience as a higher education administrator, Michael advises on a wide range of issues facing colleges and universities as they seek to further their mission and strategy amid financial, regulatory, and reputational pressures. His counsel encompasses matters such as compliance, governance, accreditation, and strategic transactions, academic and student affairs, privacy, distance education and state authorization, as well as matters related to professional degree programs and licensure in healthcare fields.
Michael’s prior service with the New York State Legislative Bill Drafting Commission, where he authored legislation on behalf of members and administrative agencies, provides added perspective. With his blend of experience, Michael’s counsel is grounded in the day-to-day business realities and cultures of education institutions on the one hand, and the institutional vantage point of education regulators on the other. Michael provides clients with interpretation and implementation guidance marked by pragmatic problem-solving in the ever-shifting education regulatory landscape.
He is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the University Risk Management and Insurance Association, and serves as a director to local nonprofits with charitable and educational missions.