Tana VanGoethem practices in the areas of higher education, and employment and labor law. She has extensive experience conducting higher education investigations and adjudications on behalf of institutions, including sexual misconduct investigations. Tana also advises colleges and universities on higher education legal and compliance, including issues that arise under Title IX, Clery, VAWA and FERPA. She regularly advises institutions on matters pertaining to sexual harassment and the sexual misconduct process. In addition, Tana conducts independent investigations into allegations of child abuse and external reviews of organizations’ child safety prevention and response efforts. 

Tana also works with clients in various areas of employment law, including advising and counseling in areas of discipline and discharge, RIF advice and adverse impact analysis, state and federal anti-discrimination statutes, retaliations, employee handbooks, FMLA, employee contracts, severance agreements, FLSA and affirmative action plans. She also conducts employment-related investigations.

Areas of Focus

Experience

  • Conducted investigations of allegations of sexual harassment in the workplace and other allegations of employee workplace misconduct
  • Conducted multiple investigations and adjudications of alleged sexual misconduct involving students and faculty at colleges and universities
  • Conducted investigations of allegations of discrimination involving faculty at higher education institutions
  • Advised higher education institutions on appeals of decisions arising from sexual misconduct investigations
  • Conducted independent review of large international faith-based organization’s sexual harassment and child safety prevention and response efforts

Credentials

Education

  • University of Minnesota Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2005)
    • Intellectual Property Moot Court
  • University of Minnesota (B.S., 1998)

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

Community Involvement

  • myHealth, former board member