School Law
The education law attorneys at Nicola, Gudbranson & Cooper, LLC assist school boards and districts in the greater Cleveland area and throughout Ohio in all aspects of school law, including employment and labor issues, student rights and discipline matters, policy development, and incorporation of charter schools. NGC also counsels individual parents, students, and educators in all aspects of school life.
School Development
NGC attorneys have extensive experience representing start-up and existing charter schools in all phases of their development and growth, including incorporation, negotiation of charters, charter renewals, management agreements, and leases.
- Incorporation
- Acquisition/lease
- Application for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status
- Negotiation of community school contracts with sponsors
- Negotiation and creation of agreements with management companies
- Charter renewals
- Sponsor disputes
Board Policy Development
Policies are essential to making sure students, parents, and employees know what is expected of them. Whether or not an appropriate policy and procedure was in place, and whether it was followed by appropriate personnel, can be critical to defending a particular action, such as a student suspension or employee termination.
- Personnel policies
- Disciplinary policies
- Student/parent handbook
- Sunshine Law compliance
Employment and Personnel
Having the proper policies in place is only one-half of the equation. These policies must be communicated effectively, and employees, including administrative personnel, must receive training on the implementation of effective practices.
Where a process of collective bargaining is in place, teacher contract development depends in part upon effective negotiation skills, but it is equally important that the school's negotiators have a firm grasp on the type of language that must be included in any negotiated agreement, so that whatever is negotiated is written in a way that is workable for teachers and administrators and does not relinquish or overly-dilute management authority in the Board or administration. NGC attorneys combine their negotiation skills and training with their experience in writing school policies to ensure that the final result is both practical and effective.
- Employment audits
- Employee handbooks
- Teacher contract development and negotiation
- Employee seminars and training
Educational Issues for Parents
Federal laws such as the IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act guarantee certain rights to students with disabilities, along with a lengthy, formal process for ensuring that those rights are protected. Other state and federal laws and the U.S. Constitution guarantee rights to all students, such as the right to due process in a disciplinary matter, or to receive transportation or other services provided by the school district.
- Services for students with IEP's
- Issues concerning special needs children
- Issues concerning gifted education
- Transportation issues
- Disciplinary hearing matters
Help Desk - Flat Monthly Fee
The legal issues confronting school districts are so ubiquitous and varied that regular access to an attorney is essential to the smooth functioning of the school. With the NGC Help Desk, clients pay a fixed monthly fee to have ready access to legal research, advice, and counsel, from short answers to quick questions to dispute resolution involving students, employees, or outside entities.
- Employment disputes
- Disciplinary matters
- Vendor disputes
- Support to Board of Trustees
- Department of Education Sponsor and Auditor of State compliance
