From students and labor unions to policies and governance, schools face a varied and complicated mix of legal issues. We help Vermont school districts meet their legal challenges and work closely with administrators to avoid potential problems.
A comprehensive approach to representing school districts
Legal issues that arise for schools may involve school board activity, employees, teacher unions, student discipline, property management, and financial situations, to name just a few. At McNeil Leddy & Sheahan, we have a team of experienced lawyers in each of these areas. They work together to develop a comprehensive and coordinated approach that effectively addresses the challenges facing schools today.
With deep local roots, our attorneys know Vermont. We have provided legal counsel to Vermont’s largest public school district continuously for over 40 years. During the course of this representation, our firm has provided reliable and timely legal counsel to its school board members and administration to address both complicated issues as well as routine day-to-day matters. One advantage of this representation is that McNeil Leddy & Sheahan is often the first in the state to address a particular issue facing Vermont schools. This regularly benefits our other school clients.
We recognize that school board members are volunteers, and many have their own jobs and families. Because of this, our interactions with school boards and their members must often take place in the evenings or at other non-traditional times. The business of education demands flexibility, so we go out of our way to be highly accessible, and always approachable.
Our education lawyers work hard to address the interests of schools, school districts, and school boards, so that they can devote their energy to providing the best possible educational opportunities for their students.
Our legal services for schools may involve:
- School district governance
- School board policies and procedures
- Management and employment issues
- Labor union negotiations
- School property and real estate
- Contracts and agreements
- Student discipline
- Bullying and harassment claims
- Special Education, Section 504, and ADA compliance
- Civil rights and diversity issues
- School choice matters
- K-8 public education