Our attorneys counsel and represent public and private schools and colleges on legal issues related to school policies, labor and employment law, discrimination, student rights, school construction and project financing. We provide ongoing advice to our clients regarding federal and Massachusetts laws that affect educational administration, and we assist school administrators in effectively delivering educational services in an increasingly demanding legal environment.
Public schools are both educational institutions and employers that are subject to a myriad of state and federal laws and regulation. We take a team approach to advising and representing the firm's educational clients, which allows us to counsel them in both of these roles. We counsel schools in the complexities of disciplining students, drafting student handbooks and interpreting the Education Reform Act. We advise and represent educational institutions on student rights issues, including reviewing and revising student codes of conduct, drafting policies under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act, and providing advice on students' participation in athletic and other extracurricular activities.
We also represent and advise our public and private educational clients in labor and employment issues, including personnel issues, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, unfair labor practices and the negotiation of employment agreements with school administrators.
In addition, we represent educational clients in governmental investigations and defend against charges before state and federal administrative agencies, including the Massachusetts and federal departments of education, the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as before state and federal courts.
Massachusetts legal requirements related to public school construction, innovation and repair are complex and frequently amended. Our attorneys advise public school clients on projects ranging in scope from new school design and construction to general purchasing matters.
