School Law
Our school law practice includes counseling school districts, colleges, and Cooperative Education Service Agencies (CESAs) throughout Wisconsin. The firm has served as legal counsel to the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Inc. (WASB) for over fifty-five years and has represented many public school districts, CESAs, charter schools, and technical colleges as designated general counsel on a continuing basis or on specific matters.
Employee Issues
Labor Relations
- Collective Bargaining
- Costing
- Contract Administration
- Representation Elections
- Grievances
- Prohibited Practices
Employment
- Employee Handbooks and Policies
- Discipline and Termination
- Evaluations
- Performance Improvement Plans
- Teacher and Administrator Contracts and Nonrenewal
- Wage and Hour Laws
- Harassment and Discrimination Claims
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- Unemployment Compensation
- Workers Compensation
- Employee Benefits
- Affordable Care Act
Student Issues
Student Discipline
- Suspensions
- Expulsions
- Threat Assessment
Student Services
- Homelessness/ McKinney-Vento Act
- Truancy
- Food Allergies
- Title IX/Title VI
- Crisis Team
Special Education
- IDEA
- Section 504/ADA
- IEPs
- Policy Development
- Behavior Intervention Plans
- Seclusion and Restraint
- Mediation/Facilitated IEPs
- IDEA State Complaints
- Due Process Complaints
- OCR Complaints
Student Athletic Code
- Development
- Enforcement
Board Issues
Board Meetings
- Open Meetings Law Issues
- School District Annual Meetings
- Special Meetings
- Powers and Duties of School Boards
Boardsmanship
- Conflict of Interest
- Code of Ethics
Records Requests
- Open Records
- FERPA
- HIPAA Issues
Elections and Referenda
- Referenda
- Board Elections
In-service Education
- Monthly Newsletters entitled “For Your Information”
- Annual School Law Seminar for Client Administrators and Board Members
- Regular contributions to state and national journals, including the firm’s popular “Legal Comment,” which has appeared monthly in the WASB Wisconsin School News since 1961
Business Issues
Technology Issues
- Website Accessibility
- Social Media
- First Amendment Issues
Intellectual Property
- License Agreements
- Copyright Registration
- Copyright Enforcement and Defense
- Trademark Counseling
Commercial Contracts
- Transportation Contracts
- Energy Performance Contracting
- Vendor Contracts
Real Estate
- Site Acquisition
- Building Contracts
- Easements
- Use of School Property
- Leases
- Architect Agreements
School Finance
- Borrowing
- Budget Hearings and Tax Levy
- Revenue Laws and Limits
District Issues
District Reorganization
- Boundary Adjustments
- Apportionment of Assets and Liabilities
Open Enrollment
- Policy Development
- Determining Open Seats
- Appeals
Charter Schools
- Establishment
- Revocation
- Governance
Litigation
We litigate matters related to all of these services in front of:
- State Courts
- Federal Courts
- Administrative Agencies
