Online Legal Summit Series: Conducting an Effective Investigation

Susan Guerette, a partner in the Philadelphia office, represents management in labor and employment matters, including discrimination claims and employee defection disputes. She specializes in litigating cases involving non-compete agreements, trade secrets, fiduciary duty, and related issues stemming from employee transitions between competitors.

Susan has litigated more than 400 employee defection and recruitment matters in over 30 different states, as well as numerous arbitration actions before arbitration panels (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Susan has extensive experience across industries such as securities brokerage, healthcare, tech, food manufacturing, and staffing.

A member of the firm’s Education Practice Group, Susan advises private schools on employee, student, and board matters. She also counsels employers on compliance, immigration, and employment policies, drafting severance and compensation agreements, and developing programs to minimize risks from employee movement.

Susan is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2011, and was included in International Employment Lawyers’ inaugural “Women Leaders” list in 2022.

Pat Nugent advises and defends K-12 schools, colleges, universities, and businesses across industries. He provides strategic counsel on compliance, policy, and liability matters, and develops litigation strategies tailored to protect clients’ institutional interests and advance their goals. His experience spans contractual, tort, statutory, and constitutional issues.

Pat also maintains a national appellate practice, representing clients in defending important judgments or challenging erroneous trial court and administrative decisions.

With deep experience in the education sector, Pat helps institutions navigate complex regulations while staying true to their missions. He regularly advises on admissions, athletics compliance, student mental health, and Title IX and VI issues. He has represented schools in student conduct litigation, appeals involving due process and anti-discrimination claims, and academic dismissal cases involving breach of contract and statutory claims.

Justin Perillo has served as General Counsel at the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) since February 2025.

Prior to joining NAIS, Justin was Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Marymount University beginning in October 2022. With more than 20 years of experience in education law, he acted as a key advisor on policies and strategies that supported the University’s mission. In this role, Justin provided legal counsel to the President, the Board of Trustees, and the administration, ensuring that Marymount navigated legal challenges with a strategic and collaborative approach.

Before his tenure at Marymount, Justin spent 19 years at American University, serving in various capacities, including Associate General Counsel. His expertise spans a wide range of education law issues, including intellectual property, commercial and transactional law, athletics, information systems, student affairs, and scientific research. He also played a critical role in advancing strategic initiatives, such as transforming Title IX and Freedom of Expression policies and expanding the University’s trademark portfolio.

Justin earned both his J.D. and bachelor’s degrees from American University.