Today’s education landscape presents many opportunities for public and private institutions, but also poses many legal and regulatory challenges. Preti Flaherty’s Education Law group is well-prepared and positioned to smoothly guide secondary schools and higher learning institutions through the complexities of varying issues and toward their educational missions. We don’t just find solutions to problems. We create a solid framework through advocacy, planning and policy-making that helps our clients successfully advance their goals and avoid legal conflict in the future.
Our attorneys have knowledge and experience in all aspects of education law, as well as other areas of law that impact educational organizations including employment, taxation and tax exemption, real estate and corporate law. We help clients deal with a range of legal matters that exist within education policy, including:
- School reorganization
- Charter school contracts, negotiations, and legislation
- Structuring new or renewed educational enterprises
- Compliance and regulation
- Negligence and liability
- Discrimination and harassment
- Faculty tenure and employment
- 501(c)(3) issues
- First amendment issues
- Education legislative reform
- Regional School Unit formation/amendment and withdrawal/accession
- Alternative organization structures
- Disability issues
- School safety legal issues and laws
- Business opportunities in the education sector
A primary legal resource for secondary education
Clients come to us because we step outside conventional thinking to carve out new solutions in secondary education. From working with our Maine Legislative team to spearhead reorganization laws for rural communities and expand formation of Regional School Units, to negotiating Maine’s first charter school contract and continuously influencing charter school legislation, we have a successful track record of working with the government to develop and implement creative education programs and policies.
With our firm’s diverse strengths in legislative advocacy, administrative law, litigation, business organizations and transactions, combined with our deep experience in innovative problem solving on a wide range of matters, we have a unique ability to overcome complicated legal challenges related to secondary education. When clients need an unusual exemption, or a policy change to meet new educational objectives, we have the tools and experience to develop a practical solution tailored to their circumstances.
Charting the course in higher education
Preti Flaherty has been an active and prominent presence in higher education policy for decades, representing numerous institutions on legislative and legal matters. We serve as strategic partners, helping our clients identify areas of growth through new laws, as well as avoid penalties and problems that may result from regulation. As representatives of Maine’s primary association of private higher education institutions, our attorneys participate in most of the major state policy discussions in this sector. From closely monitoring developments in higher education policy at both the state and federal level, to serving as General Counsel for higher learning institutions and providing direct legal services to support our clients’ day-to-day needs, our education law team is a trusted resource for a diverse range of legal needs.