Aaron Lacey
Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Aaron’s practice is dedicated entirely to helping institutions of higher education navigate complex legal and regulatory matters. He has significant experience in the array of federal, state, and accrediting agency laws and standards that govern postsecondary institutions, and is a frequent writer and speaker on topics relating to higher education policy and the federal financial aid programs.

In 2018, Aaron served the U.S. Department of Education as one of 17 negotiators charged with overhauling the Department's complex and controversial "borrower defense" rule. The Department selected Aaron to represent and negotiate on behalf of general counsels, attorneys and compliance officers at postsecondary institutions nationwide.

Aaron regularly represents institutions in administrative proceedings before state licensing entities, accrediting agencies, and the U.S. Department of Education, including matters arising from audits, program reviews, and investigations of the Office of Inspector General.

In support of institutional initiatives, he assists clients in drafting and negotiating a wide variety of agreements, including domestic and international articulation, consortium, licensing, marketing, and agency contracts, and in the case of postsecondary mergers and acquisitions, stock and asset purchase agreements. Aaron also assists with the management of regulatory and government agency relationships, policy creation and implementation, strategic planning, and compliance systems design.

Aaron is a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and of the American Bar Association.

Dave Mohr
President & CEO
Salud Education

Dave Mohr is a higher education operations, accreditation and financial executive with expertise in leading and growing colleges and universities.

Prior experience with medical and healthcare education includes the startup of Alliant International University / St. Luke College of Medicine in Mexico City in 2015; executive and consulting roles with colleges offering allied and behavioral health education programs; and as a team leader and financial specialist for the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). ABHES is an independent non-profit agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a specialized, national accrediting body with a mission to accredit institutions predominantly providing health education and specific health education disciplines.

​Mr. Mohr has been CFO and CEO of a private equity-backed multisite education holding company (ForeFront Education) and CFO of a regionally accredited international university and its holding company (Alliant International University / Arist Education System). He has significant transaction experience having worked on over 100 acquisitions and financing rounds including equity and senior and mezzanine debt financing. His operational experience includes growth and turnaround management, complex regulatory oversight, process improvement, labor negotiations, program effectiveness and student outcome improvement.

​Dave started his career in banking with ABN AMRO / LaSalle National Bank. He holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a BBA in Finance from the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business. Mr. Mohr is an Eagle Scout and Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster and Denver Area Council Committee member with the Boy Scouts of America.

Emily Wang Murphy
Partner
Thompson Coburn LLP

Emily counsels company owners and executives on day-to-day corporate matters, as well as their long-term business objectives.

She has negotiated and closed a variety of complex and strategic transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, equity and debt financings and commercial finance transactions, representing both lenders and borrowers. Many of Emily's corporate transactions are in regulated industries, such as government contracts and higher education. She also represents public and private issuers in connection with various securities offerings, including debt and equity offerings, in both private placements and public transactions.

Emily also practices in the area of export finance. She has successfully closed corporate, asset-backed, and small project financings for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, supporting American exports to and financings in Morocco, Gabon, Nigeria, Turkey and Mexico, among other countries.

Emily serves on the Firm's Women's Initiative and Diversity Committees. Clients have praised Emily for her "practical, common sense solutions" and "natural instincts" for deal flow.