Bernstein Shur Expands Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group with Several Recent Hires

Experienced Title IX Attorney Amanda Norris Ames Joins the Firm’s Growing Practice Group

Jan. 19, 2022 — Bernstein Shur, a New England-based law firm that advises clients across the U.S. and around the world, welcomes attorney Amanda Norris Ames as shareholder in the firm’s rapidly growing Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group, which is now one of the largest in the country focusing on Title IX compliance, investigations, and resolutions.

“With the addition of Amanda to our team, we’ve really solidified our place at the forefront of the Title IX field,” said Kai McGintee, chair of the Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group. “Amanda has a stellar reputation and a thriving national practice. Her expertise as an impartial hearing officer is extremely important as this role has expanded under the Title IX regulations, and many schools are looking to external, experienced professionals to administer and uphold the integrity of this process.”

Ames joins a growing team of 12 attorneys and legal professionals in the firm’s Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group, who work with a broad range of clients across the country including public and private academic institutions, major corporations, non-profit organizations, sports organizations, and state and local governmental entities.

Ames has deep experience working with educational institutions facing sensitive and complex issues, including Title IX, sexual misconduct, and civil rights investigations. She has guided clients through all stages of investigations with a focus on ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. Her thorough and impartial approach has earned her a national reputation for delivering effective solutions and implementing best practices.

Her experience also includes serving as a Civil Rights Investigator for the Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at the University of Virginia and working as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and at the U.S. Department of Labor. Ames earned her J.D. from Washington University School of Law and her B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is admitted to practice in the commonwealth of Virginia, District of Columbia, U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

Three Additional Hires Join Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group

Britt Swett joins the firm’s Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group as an attorney investigator.

Her extensive background in conducting Title IX, civil rights compliance, and workplace investigations empowers her to be an unbiased voice for her clients. Prior to joining the firm, she was a Title IX Investigator and Prevention Specialist for the University of New England, where she conducted impartial Title IX investigations, drafted university Title IX and anti-discrimination policies, and frequently presented on Title IX law and university policy. Swett earned her J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law and her B.A., cum laude, from Marymount Manhattan College. She is admitted to practice in the state of ME.

Mike Grassi joins the firm’s Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group as a staff investigator.

He has extensive experience in the areas of Title IX and sex-based discrimination issues. Grassi has worked with some of the biggest and most successful collegiate athletics departments in the country, helping them comply with federal gender-equity laws and regulations. He earned his J.D. from Chapman University Fowler School of Law and his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Southern ME. He is admitted to practice in the state of California.

Frank Brancely rejoins the firm’s Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group as a staff investigator.

Brancely was a former legal assistant at the firm before leaving to earn his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. Prior to returning to the firm, Brancely worked as an investigator for the ME Human Rights Commission and as a law clerk at the Law Offices of Peter J. Cyr. Brancely earned his M.A. from New York University and B.A. from Bard College.

Two Bernstein Shur New Hampshire Attorneys Expand Roles to Join Investigations and Resolutions Practice Group

Talesha Saint-Marc is a shareholder and co-chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group.

Based in the firm’s Manchester, New Hampshire, office, Saint-Marc provides counsel in all aspects of employment law, frequently representing employers in discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination litigation. In 2021, she was named to the New Hampshire 200, which recognizes the state’s most influential business leaders. In 2019, she was named to the Union Leader’s 40 Under Forty. Saint-Marc earned her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Franklin Pierce University. She is admitted to practice in the state of New Hampshire and the commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as the U.S. District Court for the Districts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Matt Saldaña is an experienced litigator and attorney investigator.

He approaches both of these practices with an attention to detail and passion for achieving justice for all parties. As a former investigative journalist, Saldaña is known for his ability to distill and communicate complex regulatory information while taking time to understand each party he represents. Saldaña earned his J.D., cum laude, from the Boston University School of Law and his B.A., with distinction, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is admitted to practice in the states of ME, New Hampshire, and Illinois, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire, and the United States Supreme Court.