K-12 Schools

Understanding the Unique Issues of Independent, Private, and Charter Schools.

Our attorneys work with clients to address the myriad issues that arise from application for admission to graduation and, for staff, application for employment through termination. We offer a full complement of preventive services to address employee, student, parent, and board concerns.

We routinely conduct compliance audits to identify and effectively address wage and hour and other prevalent legal concerns. Working with a school’s governing board, members of the team draft executive contracts for Heads of School that comply with the Internal Revenue Code and advise on appropriate policies and guidelines. We’ll defend you against claims in all forums across the nation. We also work closely with many accrediting agencies and school associations.

HOW WE CAN HELP

• You’re a new Head of School and you realize the institution’s policies and procedures have not been updated in 15 years.
  We assist schools in all aspects of employee and student relations, including reviewing and revising employee/student polices/handbooks, drafting and reviewing contracts, advising on benefits and related issues, and defending schools in related litigation and administrative matters.
• Your board is in the middle of a crisis and realizes it has not been following its bylaws.
  We counsel school boards on governance issues, revise and update bylaws, board polices, and educate the board on its legal responsibility.
• Your institution has been notified of a historical sexual abuse claim.
  We handle high-profile, in-the-media investigations into accusations of current or historical misconduct.

SERVICES

• Prevention and Compliance
• Training
• Defending Legal Actions
• Benefits and Plan Creation
• Crisis Management and Response

PREVENTION AND COMPLIANCE

We offer a full complement of preventive services to proactively address employee and student concerns that arise in institutions.

• Advises and counsels school boards
• Applications and enrollment agreements
• Anti-Bullying
• Board policy, guidelines, obligations and school policy
• Compliance audits (wage & hour, I-9 & other issues)
• Contract drafting and review (including executive contracts)
• Discrimination and harassment
• Disciplinary, termination or expulsion issues
• Diversity and inclusivity
• Employee leaves
• Employee, student and parent concerns
• Employee and faculty handbooks and manuals
• Employee and student disability and FMLA matters
• Evaluations
• Faculty and administration development
• Governing documents – Bylaws, Board Policy Manuals, and Certificates of Formation/Articles of Incorporation
• Head – Board relationships
• Immigration
• Internal investigations
• LGBTQ issues
• Policies and procedures
• Privacy issues and cybersecurity
• Separation policies
• Student handbooks and manuals
• Student discipline
• Title IX (investigations, advisory, adjudication)
• Transgender staff and students
• Volunteers on campus
• Vendor contracts

….and more

TRAINING

We conduct individually crafted training sessions for administrators, managers, and teachers regarding their obligations to employees and students. 

• Adult/Student boundaries
• Adult/Student bullying
• Board training
• Child abuse
• Contract issues
• Dealing with a difficult parent
• Discrimination
• Disability/Accommodation Obligations
• Employee discipline and investigation
• Family medical leave
• Federal funding
• Field trip safety
• Gender identity issues
• Hiring and firing
• Privacy
• School’s duty in sexual assault
• School’s obligation in its relationship with faculty and students
• Student discipline and investigation
• Professionalism in communications
• Student training programs
• Transgender employee and student
• Unlawful harassment

DEFENDING LEGAL ACTIONS/ ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

• Breach of Contract
• Discrimination
• DOL investigations and lawsuits
• Negligence
• Privacy/Defamation
• Retaliation
• Sexual misconduct
• Student discipline claims

BENEFITS AND PLAN CREATION

• Employee Benefits
• Executive Compensation
• HIPAA
• Retirement (ERISA)

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND RESPONSE

• Current or historical misconduct
• In-the-media investigations