A former chief deputy attorney general is representing Stone Academy in an ongoing investigation into the for-profit nursing school’s abrupt closure, which is being conducted by Attorney General William Tong.
Perry Rowthorn, a partner with Jepsen Rowthorn, is countering Tong’s claim that the school has not cooperated with the investigation.
On Thursday, Tong sought a court order to force the owners of Stone Academy to comply with his demands for information concerning potential violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act.
Rowthorn previously worked for former Attorney General George Jepsen, who is now his partner in private practice. Stone Academy has also retained prominent Hartford law firm Cowdery, Murphy, Dannehy & Healy as co-counsel.
“We believe the Attorney General has been misinformed by the Office of Higher Education about the causes and circumstances leading to Stone’s closure,” Rowthorn said in a statement. “Stone has cooperated extensively with the Attorney General’s investigation, providing tens of thousands of documents.”
In March, Tong served owners Joseph Bierbaum and Mark Scheinberg with civil investigative demands seeking information about their finances, including where their records are stored, along with payroll, staffing, enrollment and attendance records.
They’re represented by Craig Raabe, a partner with West Hartford-based Izard, Kindall & Raabe.
Stone Academy – which had campuses in East Hartford, Waterbury and West Haven – closed in February amid concerns about its National Council Licensure Examination rates, faculty qualifications and clinical training.
About 850 students have been unable to obtain their transcripts. Some of them are being represented by civil rights attorney and former Hartford Councilwoman Cynthia R. Jennings.
Meanwhile, the Office of Higher Education has been auditing the school’s records to determine the validity of its coursework.
Rowthorn said the Office of Higher Education “bungled” the investigation by “misreading applicable facts and regulations, rashly requiring the school’s closure on short notice and prohibiting an orderly teach out of Stone students.”
“OHE now threatens to conduct a misguided and improperly funded audit of transcripts to illegally disenfranchise students of their hard-earned educational credits,” Rowthorn said. “We urge the State of Connecticut to protect vulnerable Stone students from OHE’s unlawful deprivation of their property and help ensure that they receive access to an appropriate teach out to continue their studies.”
