FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FACING A TITLE IX INTERVIEW
Most students learn they have a Title IX investigation interview only a few days before it happens.
The interview is typically the most important step in the process. What is said, what is documented, and what is left out can shape the rest of the case. Most students walk in without understanding what the investigator is doing or what the record will look like afterward.
Before Your Title IX Interview is a practical preparation guide for students and families. It explains the investigator's role, what an interview is for, the kinds of questions students can expect, the documents and timelines that matter, and how to think through the account before the interview begins.
Two ways to get the guide
The Guide
$39
Full designed PDF guide
Plain-language explanation of the investigation process and the interview itself
Approximately 25 to 35 pages
Instant download
The Bundle
$89
Everything in the standalone guide
Plus the recorded webinar (How to Prepare for a Title IX Investigation Interview)
Plus the designed interview-prep workbook (timeline, key facts, uncertain areas, documents to review, practice explanation)
Instant download
Recommended for students who have an interview scheduled or anticipated. The workbook is the operational piece for actually preparing.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for students who have been notified they will be interviewed in a Title IX investigation, and for the families supporting them. It is useful whether the student is the complainant, the respondent, or a witness.
It is written for active-matter readers who need to understand the process quickly, and for anticipatory readers who want to think about the process clearly before being inside it.
What this guide covers
The guide is organized around the actual sequence of an investigation, with the interview at the center.
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What a Title IX investigation is
Investigations are a fact-finding stage. The investigator's job is to gather information and produce a record. The guide explains what that record is used for, who reads it, and what comes after the interview.
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The investigator's role and what the interview is for
Most students arrive at an interview with the wrong mental model. The guide explains what the investigator is actually doing, what kinds of questions follow from that role, and why preparation looks different from preparation for a courtroom or a job interview.
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Roles in the process: complainant, respondent, witness
The student's role determines the structure of the interview, the kinds of questions, and what the student is being asked to explain. Understanding the role is the first step in understanding the interview.
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Preparing the timeline, key facts, uncertain areas, and documents
The guide and workbook walk a student through the work of preparing in advance. The point is not to memorize a script but to think clearly about what happened, what is documented, what is uncertain, and what will be useful for the investigator to see.
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During and after the interview
The closing sections explain what to expect during the interview, what is reasonable to ask, what the record looks like afterward, and what typically follows.
What this guide is not
This guide is not legal advice. It does not address the facts of any specific student's situation, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship with Potter Law or Nancy Potter.
It is also not a substitute for an advisor in cases where one is appropriate. Many institutions allow or require an advisor; the guide explains how that role typically works, but it does not replace the role itself. If you have questions about how an advisor relationship would apply to a specific situation, more information about consultations is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
About Nancy Potter
Nancy Potter is an education attorney whose practice focuses on student conduct, Title IX, disability accommodations, academic integrity, and related student rights issues in higher education.
Before private practice, she served as a Supervisory Attorney and Team Leader at the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, where approximately half of her work involved disability discrimination and civil rights issues in educational settings.
She works with students and families navigating university disciplinary processes, Title IX matters, academic integrity cases, and accommodation issues. She is also available to schools and universities as an independent hearing officer and appointed advisor.
Nancy Potter is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania.
Common Questions
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For active-matter readers, the bundle is the recommended purchase. The workbook is the operational piece. It walks a student through building the timeline, identifying key facts, naming uncertain areas, listing relevant documents, and practicing how to explain what happened. The webinar covers the same material orally for buyers who want to hear it explained.
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Many institutions allow or require an advisor for one or both parties. Whether to have an advisor, and who to choose, depends on the institution's procedure and the specific case. The guide explains how the advisor role typically works. If you have questions about how an advisor would apply to a specific situation, more information about consultations is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
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Yes. Witnesses are interviewed, their accounts become part of the record, and the questions a witness is asked are not always limited to what the witness expects. The guide explains the witness role and how to think about preparation for that role specifically.
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It addresses what typically follows the investigation, including how the investigation report becomes part of the record used at later stages. It is not a deep guide to a Title IX hearing. The focus of this product is the investigation interview.
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No. The webinar is pre-recorded. Buyers of the bundle receive access immediately and can watch at any time.
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Because the guide and bundle are delivered immediately as a digital download, refunds are not generally available. Questions about a specific download issue can be sent through the contact page on nancypotterlaw.com.
You may also find useful
If consent is at issue in the case, How Universities Evaluate Consent in Title IX Cases is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
If your student is heading to college and you would like a broader orientation to college rules and the offices behind them, Before Your Student Starts College is available at nancypotterlaw.com.
This page describes an educational resource that provides general information about how college conduct Title IX investigation typically work. The guide is not legal advice, does not address the facts of any specific situation, and does not create an attorney-client relationship between any reader and Potter Law or Nancy Potter.
If you have a specific legal matter, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Published by Potter Law. Nancy Potter, Attorney at Law. Licensed in Pennsylvania.
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