Thanks so much for coming to campus. Your thoughtful presentations have prompted lots of insights and conversations on our team. I really appreciate your efforts, and know this is the beginning of a great relationship!
~Head of School, Independent School

“Thank you for a terrific presentation, with good case studies, and thoughtful answers to questions.”
~Board Chair, Independent School

Phillipa Gage Lilienthal

Partner

Phillipa “Pippa” Gage Lilienthal is a Partner at Schwartz Hannum PC and a member of the Firm’s Labor and Employment and Education Practice groups.

Pippa is a trusted advisor to corporate clients and nonprofit educational and cultural institutions, with deep experience in governance, student and employment matters, and investigations. She counsels clients on best practices in Board governance, risk management, and organizational compliance, including policy, handbook and bylaw review. She leads professional development programming for Boards, leadership and employees, and speaks at many professional association conferences in these ever-evolving areas.

A significant portion of her practice is dedicated to guiding educational clients through complex, sensitive issues involving both students and employees. She regularly conducts and manages internal investigations, advises on allegations of misconduct, and represents institutions in student-related litigation and crisis response.

In addition, Pippa represents corporate and education clients in a wide range of employment matters. Her work spans federal, state, and local labor and employment laws, with extensive experience in litigation involving discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, wage and hour disputes, whistleblower claims, and regulatory inquiries. She drafts and negotiates employment and severance agreements, and helps clients proactively implement policies that support legally-sound workplace environments.

She is an active member of the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF), furthering her commitment to inclusive excellence in the legal profession.

Prior to joining the Firm, Pippa was Counsel in the Litigation, Securities Enforcement, and White Collar groups of the Boston office of WilmerHale, LLP, where she served for six months as Special Assistant District Attorney in the Somerville division of the Middlesex District Attorney's office. She was also an associate professor of European Union Law and Comparative Law at Burgundy School of Business in Dijon, France and Counsel at a Vermont firm specializing in employment law and litigation.
 

LEGAL UPDATES

Governance Best Practices: Updates To Trustee Agreements And Other Essential Board Policies

Federal Court Strikes Down FTC's Final Rule Banning Employee Non-Competition Provisions

FTC Seeks To Ban Noncompete Agreements Nationwide, But Legal Challenges Await

Federal Court Of Appeals: Independent School Nonprofit Status Is Not Federal Funding

Be Guided By Your Mission And Pay Attention To Diversity: Massachusetts Attorney General's Office Issues Revised Guide For Non-Profit Boards

PPP Loan Acceptance And Tax-Exempt Status Each May Trigger Title IX Compliance Obligations For Independent Schools

Best Practices For Schools In Responding To Anonymous Complaints

REPORTED DECISIONS

Lee v. Howard Hughes Medical Institute

EVENTS

Navigating The Mandates Of The Trump Administration: Hot Topics For Independent Schools

E-Alerts

Federal Court Strikes Down FTC's Final Rule Banning Employee Non-Competition Provisions

Be Guided By Your Mission And Pay Attention To Diversity: Massachusetts Attorney General's Office Issues Revised Guide For Non-Profit Boards

Phillipa Gage Lilienthal

Contact

plilienthal@shpclaw.com

T: 978-623-0900

F: 978-623-0908

 

Education

  • Boston College Law School, cum laude (2005)
  • Dartmouth College, magna cum laude (1999)
  • Sidwell Friends School (1995, lifer)

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Vermont

U.S. Courts of Appeals

  • First Circuit

U.S. District Courts

  • Vermont
  • Massachusetts

Professional Affiliations

  • Boston Bar Association
  • Vermont Bar Association