School Law: Legal Representation for School Boards and School Districts
The Thatcher Law Firm provides intelligent and efficient legal guidance to boards of education, superintendents and/or school districts in a wide range of legal issues.
Our school law practice is led by Abbey G. Hairston, a partner with the Thatcher Law Firm. Ms. Hairston served as general counsel for two public school systems, Palm Beach County, Florida, and the District of Columbia. In addition, she represented the Baltimore City public schools in school finance litigation and was one of the lawyers who participated in the negotiation of the 1997 Partnership Legislation. She served as the general counsel for the Baltimore City public schools after the newly appointed board of education was established in 1998 until the board hired an in-house general counsel. She also represented the Baltimore City public schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District in special education litigation and represents Newark public schools in similar litigation.
Our firm's school law practice on behalf of school districts, superintendents and other educational managing bodies includes issues such as:
- Rule-making and policy matters
- Collective bargaining and administration of labor contracts
- General contracting and procurement for business operations
- Employment matters including employee grievances and tenure dismissals
- Academic program issues, including special education
- Student issues such as discipline, First Amendment questions and criminal issues, including on-campus drug crimes and assault charges
- School finance
- Workers’ compensation
- School administrative law
- Real estate transactions
- Drafting contracts with vendors
- Negotiation of school construction contracts
- Environmental law matters
- Arbitration
- Competition for public funds, including e-Rate
- Public institution impact litigation
The Thatcher Law Firm works with school districts and private schools to address a multitude of legal issues that arise in elementary and secondary schools. We provide daily counsel as needed to boards of education and superintendents as they exercise appropriate discretion in the performance of their duties to supervise and operate schools.
Contact the Thatcher Law Firm, LLC, for more information.
