About

Peter F. Lake has spent more than 30 years in higher education as a teacher and administrator. He is currently professor of law, Charles A. Dana Chair, and the director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University College of Law. He has served in many administrative functions at Stetson, including honor code administrator, interim director of Title IX compliance, special assistant to the dean, and the faculty representative to the board of trustees. He also serves as a part-time senior higher education consulting attorney at the law firm of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC, and frequently serves as an expert witness through his private consulting business.

Lake is an internationally recognized expert on higher education law and policy and has been quoted or referred to in hundreds of newspapers and court opinions throughout the United States, including the Supreme Courts of Iowa, Rhode Island, Virginia, California, Massachusetts, and Florida, and the most recent Restatement of the Law of Torts. He is an award-winning academic and has authored numerous law review articles, books, and other publications. Lake is a highly sought-after speaker, and he has served as a presenter or keynote speaker at several hundred international, national, regional, and local meetings. He has trained thousands of campus personnel on student safety and other issues, including student mental health, alcohol and drug abuse, Title IX and sex discrimination, and First Amendment issues. He has assisted college presidents and boards on numerous campuses throughout the United States on issues such as compliance, acquisitions, restructuring, online program management, tenure, student discipline codes, and leadership, inter alia. He is a trusted resource for cutting-edge legal issue management. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Governors Association’s network for governor’s legal counsel called upon him to provide strategic assistance on campus closures and potential litigation.

Professional Credentials

Lake earned his AB from Harvard College and his JD from Harvard Law School.