Education
Educating educators about the law.
Our attorneys have been representing private and public schools and boards of education for more than fifty years. The firm has navigated the myriad challenges facing these clients, from student education and discipline to labor and employment matters and drafting policies and representing boards in legal and administrative hearings.
We believe that the best way to address student issues is to prevent them from happening. We work closely with boards of education and school administrators to draft comprehensive and clear policies and handbooks so that students and their parents know what is expected of them. Dooley Gembala helps its clients address attendance and enrollment issues, as well as transportation and discipline matters. The firm also focuses on statutory requirements facing school clients, such as Title IX, Section 504/IDEA, and other civil rights legislation. Additionally, Dooley Gembala stays on the cutting edge of cyber-safety matters so we can keep our clients well-informed on that front.
Experienced administrators know the importance of labor and employment matters in school settings. We represent our clients’ interests at the collective bargaining table and in administrative proceedings before SERB. We help coordinate investigations into employee misconduct, assist in discipline determinations, and represent our school clients throughout the grievance and arbitration process. We also help with contract, hiring, and insurance matters to ensure compliance with state and federal law.
At the board level, Dooley Gembala regularly drafts, updates, and advises on board policies governing conduct throughout the school district. We can manage administrative hearings before the board, accept appointments as board designee to adjudicate important matters, and provide guidance at board meetings in both public and executive sessions. Dooley Gembala also provides regular general training to boards of education and issue-specific training and written materials when there is a significant update or change in law. Perhaps most importantly, Dooley Gembala is experienced in representing school districts before administrative agencies and in state and federal court.
