Areas of Law for Schools and Public Agencies
Our areas of expertise check all the boxes for local educational agencies and public agencies looking for a law firm to handle their needs. Contracts, employee discipline, Brown Act, charter petitions–you name it, we’ve done it.
Our reputation is top-notch in highly-specialized areas of laws that schools and public agencies need to run smoothly.
Governance and Administration
When public agencies need outside general counsel who can provide fast assistance on the gamut of issues they face, they turn to Edwards, Stevens and Tucker, LLP. Contracts, Brown Act, Public Records Act, conflicts of interest, elections, political activity and more can be handled by our legal team.
We are frequently called upon to draft, review, update, and interpret Board policies and administrative regulations on behalf of educational agencies.
From advice and counsel to litigation, our team can help.
I know their number by heart . . . especially during the unprecedented Covid year where we had a lot of unforeseen circumstances.
– Matthew Mauk, Executive Director
El Dorado County Transit Authority
Special Education
Special Education laws are a complex interplay among students, their families, and schools. Few law firms provide the level of service the proven reputation of being able to navigate it all quite like Edwards, Stevens and Tucker.
We represent educational agencies in IEP team meetings, mediations, due process hearings, and state and federal court. We also represent and advise clients regarding Office for Civil Rights and California Department of Education complaints and investigations. Most of all, we bring students and schools together within the law and find paths to problem solve for the benefit of students with disabilities.
Edwards, Stevens and Tucker, LLP is recognized statewide for its special education guidance, providing presentations on special education and related topics for teachers, administrators, and other staff.
Labor and Employment
It takes many people in a range of jobs to provide education, transportation, fire protection, and all the services public agencies are tasked with performing. Labor and employment law is a challenge, and we take on that challenge, freeing up clients to best serve the public. We help clients resolve legal challenges, and when necessary, litigate disputes in a variety of venues.
We work hard to establish the relationships necessary for your agency to successfully navigate collective bargaining, including assisting clients at the bargaining table and operating under collective bargaining agreements.
We represent clients at hearings before arbitrators and in Unfair Labor Practice claims before the Public Employment Relations Board. We give advice on employee discipline and dismissal matters and prepare settlement and release agreements.
We respond to requests from Office for Civil Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and also counsel on benefits matters, including leaves and wage and hour laws. We execute reductions in force in compliance with relevant legal requirements.
We defend our clients and their employees against discrimination and harassment claims, and we get called upon to give advice to pupil personnel, including guiding clients through student discipline and expulsion processes.
Facilities and Business
Some public entities need help with specific transactions, and they count on us to have the knowledge to accomplish their goals. Maybe it’s structuring real property transactions, including compliance with municipal and state zoning and environmental requirements.
Frequently it’s giving advice on public contract bidding requirements. Or, often it’s looking for ways to access public and private financing sources, including general obligation and Mello-Roos bonds and certificates of participation.
When help is needed with commercial transactions like these—we do the job.
Student Services
If there’s an area of law specific to students, chances are, we have the experience to help you successfully navigate the challenge. Whether it’s constitutional law issues, including advising and providing legal opinions on civil rights, search and seizure, and freedom of speech issues, or curriculum and instruction, including reviewing for compliance with legal requirements—we’re a trusted resource.
We support educational agencies in areas such as student discipline matters, including expulsion hearings, responding to requests for student records, truancy, and Title IX matters.
Our firm also assists educational agencies conducting interdistrict transfer and expulsion appeal hearings.
Charter Schools
Edwards, Stevens & Tucker, LLP has considerable experience providing consultation to county offices of education and school districts on charter school issues.
We also counsel and represent charter schools in all areas, from the issues all public agencies face to their unique needs as charter schools.
Training and Professional Development
We have a full offering of professional development training sessions for clients to ensure legal compliance in areas such as sexual harassment, Brown Act requirements, serving students with disabilities, and collective bargaining techniques. We work with clients to select and tailor trainings to meet the needs of their teams.
Moreover, we strongly believe that legal trainings do not have to be boring to be effective. We use case studies, audience participation, and storytelling to bring our legal trainings to life and ensure our audience leaves with practical guidance.
Recent attendees have evaluated our training work with accolades such as “the knowledge that you share inspires me to do better,” and “I want more!!!”
Our team is ready to assist.
Learn more about our group of experience attorneys.