Logo for InfluenceWatch InfluenceWatch

Donate
For-profit

Fierberg National Law Group (TFNL Group)

Website:

www.tfnlgroup.com
Location:

Traverse City, MI
Type:

For-Profit Legal Group
Formation:

1993
Founder:

Douglas Fierberg

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Fierberg National Law Group (TFNL Group) is a legal team that specializes in representing individuals who have been the victims of fraternity hazing, school violence, sexual assault, and Title IX violations in educational settings. 1  It was founded by attorney Douglas Fierberg in 1993.

TFNL Group typically files lawsuits on behalf of the victims or the victims’ families against educational institutions and fraternities, claiming that these organizations are ultimately responsible for any events that occur. 2 TFNL frequently partners with left-of-center advocacy groups on Title IX cases, including Know Your IX, Public Justice, and National Women’s Law Center. 3

Background

Fierberg National Law Group (TFNL Group) was founded in 1993 4 by attorney Douglas Fierberg. 5 Fierberg began his career in Washington, D.C. He started specializing in school violence while representing a Washington, D.C. high school student who survived sexual assaults and a college student who was hospitalized as a result of a fraternity hazing in Maryland. 6

The law firm has offices in Traverse City, Michigan; the District of Columbia; and Colorado 7 and represents victims and families in cases of fraternity hazing, sexual misconduct, school violence, Title IX violations, injury, and wrongful death in educational settings. 8 TFNL Group lawsuits on behalf of victims typically target educational institutions and fraternities for negligence and misconduct, indicating that these organizations are ultimately liable. 9

Notable Cases

Fierberg National Law Group cases have been featured on major television networks including CNN, NBC, and ABC and in major publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and USA Today. 10

Hazing

TFNL Group sues educational institutions and holds fraternities liable for injuries and death caused by fraternity hazing practices. 11

TFNL Group prosecuted Louisiana State University on behalf of the parents of student Maxwell Gruver, who allegedly died from a 2017 on-campus hazing incident. 12

In 2020, TFNL Group filed a wrongful death case against Alpha Tau Omega and Washington State University on behalf of the parents of Sam Martinez, who died while pledging to join the fraternity. Fierberg was interviewed for a “60 Minutes” episode regarding this case. 13

In 2022, TFNL Group filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of the family of Adam Oakes against Delta Chi Fraternity, Inc., Delta Chi Educational Foundation, and the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) chapter of Delta Chi. 14 The suit claimed that the fraternity and its members are liable for Oakes’ death due to negligence and misconduct. 15

Title IX

TFNL Group prosecutes educational institutions and organizations for failure to protect individuals against sexual misconduct and for Title IX violations. 16

In 2022, the Biden Administration proposed a Title IX amendment that protects transgender students against sexual violence in schools. 17 TFNL Group and other civil rights advocates joined the National Women’s Law Center in sending a letter to the administration in support of the proposal, which undoes what the letter called the “Trump administration’s weakening of civil rights protections for student survivors and ensuring the protection of LGBTQI+ students.” 18 Other left-leaning national organizations that co-signed this letter include the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Equality Federation, GenderCool Project, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Transgender Equality,  National Education Association (NEA), National Women’s Political Caucus, Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), and URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity. 19

TFNL Group frequently partners with left-of-center advocacy groups on Title IX cases, including Know Your IX, Public Justice, and National Women’s Law Center, 20 and recommends several support resources, including Futures Without Violence, Legal Momentum, and No More. 21

Leadership

Douglas Fierberg is an attorney and the founder of Fierberg National Law Group. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the National Law Center at George Washington University. 22

His parents were liberals active in the civil rights movement. Fierberg continues to support liberalism. 23 In addition to several lawyers’ associations, he is a member of American Association for Justice and the pro-abortion Reproductive Justice Lawyers Network. 24 In June 2023, Fierberg contributed to the Fight Like Hell PAC, 25 a political action committee launched by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) to raise money for Democratic candidates for the 2024 election. 26 He also contributed to the Democratic Victory PAC, Warnock for Georgia, and ActBlue (PAC). 27

Monica Beck is managing legal counsel. 28  She earned her law degree at University of Michigan Law School. Prior to joining TFNL Group in 2015, Beck was an associate with Skadden law firm and deputy general counsel for Phoenix House. 29

Olympias Iliana Konidaris is managing legal counsel for the TFNL Group New York City office. She focuses on representing victims in Title IX cases as well as gender-based violence. 30

She earned her law degree at Washington University School of Law. 31 Previously she was a staff attorney with left-of-center gender advocacy organization Legal Momentum, 32 then had her own civil rights litigation practice, Konidaris Law, a New York City law firm focused on gender discrimination. 33

Cari S. Simon is managing legal counsel for the TFNL Group Boulder, Colorado office. She focuses on representing victims of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and dating violence in educational settings. 34 She earned her law degree at Harvard University Law School. Simon was a legislative assistant for U.S. Representative Jim Costa (D-CA) and a senior legislative assistant for former U.S. Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY). 35

References

  1. LinkedIn – The Fierberg National Law Group PLLC. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/tfnlgroup/
  2. “Hazing Injury & Death.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/hazing/
  3. “Sexual Misconduct and Violations of Title IX & Safesport.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/sexual-misconduct/
  4. LinkedIn – The Fierberg National Law Group PLLC. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/tfnlgroup/about/
  5. “Douglas E. Fierberg.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 22, 2023.  https://tfnlgroup.com/team/doug-fierberg/
  6. “Douglas E. Fierberg.” Avvo Lawyer directory. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.avvo.com/attorneys/49684-mi-douglas-fierberg-699720.html
  7.  Patti Brandt Burgess. “Making students less vulnerable to harassment, discrimination.” Traverse City Record Eagle. March 31, 2019. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.record-eagle.com/news/local_news/making-students-less-vulnerable-to-harassment-discrimination/article_1eab5f43-8a00-5f20-ac30-de6bc0833749.html
  8. The Fierberg National Law Group homepage. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/
  9. “Hazing Injury & Death.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/hazing/
  10. “Douglas E. Fierberg.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 22, 2023.  https://tfnlgroup.com/team/doug-fierberg/
  11. “Hazing Injury & Death.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/hazing/
  12. Livia Albeck-Ripka. The New York Times. March 13, 2023. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/13/us/max-gruver-lsu-hazing-death-lawsuit.html
  13. Craig Manning. “Traverse City Law Firm To Be Featured On Sunday’s ’60 Minutes.’” The Ticker. November 22, 2021. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.traverseticker.com/news/traverse-city-law-firm-to-be-featured-on-sundays-60-minutes/
  14. LinkedIn – The Fierberg National Law Group, PLLC. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7028825959529095170/
  15. Eric Kolenich. “Family of late VCU student Adam Oakes sues frat for $28 million.” Richmond Times-Dispatch. February 7, 2023. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://richmond.com/news/local/education/family-of-late-vcu-student-adam-oakes-sues-fraternity-for-28-million/article_a71695d2-a6f3-11ed-9514-ef8378470c43.html?fbclid=IwAR0Ca5usBdfFnFeH8S9ETFUJauN59Z3XrHx0f8maEcM3xVjlUSbvCaoWh5I
  16. “Sexual Misconduct and Violations of Title IX & Safesport.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/sexual-misconduct/
  17. “What is Title IX?” Thomson Reuters. July 20. 2023. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/what-is-title-ix/
  18.  Tyler Kingkade. “Biden admin proposes sweeping changes to Title IX to undo Trump-era rules.” NBC News. June 23, 2022. Accessed July 24, 2023. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/biden-admin-proposes-sweeping-changes-title-ix-undo-trump-era-rules-rcna34915
  19. National Women’s Law Center letter. June 15, 2022. Accessed July 24, 2023. https://nwlc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Title-IX-NPRM-Letter-President-Biden-Jun-15-2022.pdf
  20. “Sexual Misconduct and Violations of Title IX & Safesport.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/sexual-misconduct/
  21.  “Sexual Misconduct and Violations of Title IX & Safesport.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Practice Areas. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/practice_areas/sexual-misconduct/
  22. “Douglas E. Fierberg.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 22, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/team/doug-fierberg/
  23. F. Josephine Arrowood. “Douglas Fierberg’s arc of justice.” Glen Arbor Sun. April 18, 2022. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://glenarborsun.com/douglas-fierbergs-arc-of-justice/
  24. “Douglas E. Fierberg.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 22, 2023.  https://tfnlgroup.com/team/doug-fierberg/
  25. Federal Election Commission – Individual contributions – Douglas Fierberg. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=douglas+fierberg
  26.  Jon King. “Whitmer rolls out ‘Fight Like Hell’ PAC to play in 2024 federal races.” June 13, 2023. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://michiganadvance.com/blog/whitmer-rolls-out-fight-like-hell-pac-to-play-in-2024-federal-races/
  27. Federal Election Commission – Individual contributions – Douglas Fierberg. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=douglas+fierberg
  28. “Monica H. Beck.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 22, 2023.  https://tfnlgroup.com/team/monica-beck/
  29. LinkedIn – Monica Beck. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/monica-beck-5009096/
  30. “Olympias Iliana Konidaris.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/team/olympias-iliana-konidaris/
  31. Konidaris Law homepage. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://konidarislaw.com/about-us/
  32. LinkedIn – Olympias Iliana Konidaris. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/oikonidaris/
  33. Konidaris Law homepage. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://konidarislaw.com/about-us/
  34. “Cari S. Simon.” The Fierberg National Law Group – Meet Our Team. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://tfnlgroup.com/team/cari-simon/
  35. LinkedIn – Cari Simon. Accessed July 23, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cari-simon-692a0a21/
  See an error? Let us know!

Fierberg National Law Group (TFNL Group)


Traverse City, MI