Education

The education industry faces countless legal challenges, many of which are unique to the field. Spilman’s Education Law Practice Group is experienced in representing education clients throughout the region. Our attorneys served as counsel to a large, urban board of education, smaller school districts, and to public and private universities, as well as President to a major university. Our attorneys, many of whom were educators or have educators in their families, are passionate about education and their representation of our education clients.

Spilman strives to be your education partner. Our success depends on the achievements of your students and faculties. We will develop a service and communication model best fitting your organizational structure and meeting your needs and objectives.

Spilman attorneys are active leaders in state and national education organizations. Well versed in current issues facing education and our clients, we regularly appear before legislative and administrative bodies, as well as state and federal courts, to further our clients’ interests and objectives. We have defended education clients in all types of legal proceedings, as well as in administrative matters initiated by or in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Office for Civil Rights, and various state agencies.

We provide legal support and regular advice on all types of matters, including, but not limited to:

• Personnel matters, including disability, harassment and other complaints and investigations, discipline and dismissals, employee handbook review and revision
• Student discipline matters, including review and revision of student codes of conduct
• Contract negotiation, review and drafting
• Policy manual revisions and drafting
• Funding issues and disputes
• Special education and student disability issues, including IDEA and Section 504
• Construction contracts and disputes
• Real estate acquisition and finance
• Liability issues and risk avoidance
• Statutory and regulatory compliance
• Professional development and in-service trainings
• Freedom of Information Act requests and open meetings issues
• FERPA and student privacy issues
• First amendment issues
• Legislative, policy and government affairs and lobbying
• Responses to administrative and regulatory inquiries