Glenn Agre Recognized by Victim Rights Law Center for Advocacy of Students in Department of Education Lawsuit

Team recognized for case that forced a reversal of the Office for Civil Rights’ mass termination

NEW YORK (Oct. 5, 2026) – Glenn Agre Bergman & Fuentes LLP is proud to announce that the firm has received the 2026 Champion Award from the Victim Rights Law Center (VRLC) for its advocacy of three students and their families and the VRLC in a complaint against the U.S. Department of Education following the mass termination of employees at the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The firm’s work was led by Reid Skibell, Jon Friedman, and Megan Reilly. The firm received the award during the VRLC’s Shining Star Celebration on Oct. 1, 2026, at Artists for Humanity EpiCenter in Boston.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to partner with such a vital organization in standing up for students’ civil rights,” said partner Jon Friedman, who accepted the award at the VRLC’s ceremony. “Students have a fundamental right to feel safe from discrimination and harassment in school, and the OCR’s mass termination left bullied students with nowhere to turn. We are proud to have played a role in demanding that the Department of Education fulfill its obligation to protect students.”

Glenn Agre partnered with Sean Ouellette, a former senior attorney at Public Justice who is now at Democracy Forward, to file the complaint against the Department of Education on behalf of VRLC and the students in March 2025. The Trump Administration had closed seven regional OCR offices, leaving the OCR with severely limited means to address serious student discrimination cases involving sexual assault, racist harassment, and disability-related bullying. This case was featured in The New Yorker, spotlighting the human toll of these policy decisions. After briefing and a hearing, the federal court issued a preliminary injunction halting the reduction in force. After further litigation, the federal government agreed to rehire the terminated employees and reopen the closed offices.

“This case is a prime example of how impactful the legal system can be in protecting basic civil rights,” said partner Reid Skibell, who also accepted the award. “So often, those facing discrimination feel as if no one is in their corner, and these students had little recourse but to turn to the VRLC in order to be heard. It is our duty to ensure every client has a voice, no matter what powerful entities they may be up against. We are grateful to the VRLC for the opportunity to work on a case with such vital, far-reaching implications.”