Eastman & Smith's comprehensive education law practice serves clients in the public, private and higher education arenas. As a practice focused on current and pending public law and education trends, Eastman & Smith's legal advice adds value in a context that takes into account first and foremost, a successful future for its educational institution clients.

Our education practice has strengths that include:

• Governance - training (including various models of governance), ethics and conflicts, open meetings, public records and comprehensive board policies and best practices, handbooks, manuals;
• Employment and Labor - workers compensation, unemployment compensation, Fair Labor Standards Act, Title VII, Title IX, Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans With Disabilities Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act, collective bargaining (K-12, universities and colleges), grievances, arbitration;
• Funding - disputes, facilities, governmental (federal and state), title funding;
• Facilities - public and private projects, financing, construction law (contracts, project management and disputes), acquisition and sale of property, public and private bidding, zoning and permit acquisition;
• Special Education - training, due process, mediation, assessments and waivers, Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans With Disabilities Act, discipline, appeals and day-to-day counseling;
• Current Events - charter districts, charter school, sponsors, school choice, vouchers, funding, pending and new legislation and related issues;
• Transportation - busses and bussing, compliance, purchase and leasing;
• Discipline - suspension, expulsion, hearings, appeals, electronic equipment, bullying, internet acceptable use, violence, mission driven codes of conduct;
• Enrollment - residency, admissions, custody, lotteries, transfers, tuition;
• Audit and Tax - administrative hearings, appeals of audit findings, state and single audits, pre-audits and reviews, disputes, real property tax, benefits, deductibility, and tax exempt status;
• Liability Defense - risk management, insurance and insurance pools, councils of governments, litigation;
• Constitutional Law - church/state, search and seizure, free speech, due process, allowable restrictions; and
• Federal Law - compliance, Title funding audits, No Child Left Behind Act, Adequate Yearly Progress, School Improvement Appeals, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

We appreciate the opportunity to be of assistance. 

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