Overview
One of the firm’s largest practice areas, our School Law department is staffed by attorneys with extensive expertise in all aspects of school district representation and public sector law. Our relationships with our district clients are long-term, reflecting their sustained satisfaction with our services. The firm currently serves as counsel to more than 70 New Jersey school districts, ranging in size from less than 400 to more than 12,000 students, including:
- Pre-K-8
- Pre-K-12
- Regional
- Vocational
- Special Services
Our full range of legal services to our district clients, include:
Solicitor/General Counsel
We provide counsel and advice on all legal issues facing school boards. Timeliness in returning phone calls and availability to provide prompt service are essential components of our commitment.
Negotiations
We represent school districts in negotiations with all types of school district based unions, including teachers, administrators, and support staff. Over the years, we have developed respectful professional relationships with many union leaders. These relationships are invaluable to creating smooth negotiations that result in a positive settlement for client districts.
Labor/Employment
Our School Law attorneys are involved in ongoing advice and consultation, negotiations, grievance handling, increment withholdings, arbitrations, and tenure charges. Our attorneys routinely handle a variety of cases on behalf of our school district clients, including petitions to determine the scope of negotiations, unfair practice charges, representation petitions, and clarification of unit petitions. We also routinely handle civil litigation, tenure charges, seniority issues, non-renewal issues, and discrimination charges.
Special Education
We recognize the enormous exposure and potential expense public school districts face with respect to special education litigation. Our School Law attorneys represent boards of education in all special education areas, assisting districts in the development of appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEP), staff training and development, and, where necessary, mediation and due process hearings. We have amicable working relationships with numerous attorneys and advocates in the state who represent parents in these matters. Attorneys in this area offer regular in-service training to special education staff and administrators on handling special education matters.
Firm attorneys routinely make presentations before the New Jersey School Boards Association, and various other state organizations, on a wide variety of legal issues at the forefront of school law in New Jersey.
Additionally, Parker McCay stands in the forefront on public access issues, especially the spectrum of issues related to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, the common law right of access and the federal Freedom of Information Act.
News
News
- January 9, 2023
- Settlement of claims under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act could have far-reaching ramificationsOctober 11, 2022
- October 11, 2021
- September 27, 2021
- September 7, 2021
- July 1, 2021
- June 10, 2021 | 9:00 a.m.NJASBO
- June 3, 2021
- This is Going to Cost Money: Chapter 44 and Compensatory EducationMay 12, 2021 | 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Brett Gorman Teaches CLE, "All-You-Can"April 26, 2021Camden County Bar Association
- Brett Gorman Gives CLE on Special Education, "Perspectives from Parents and Schools"April 21, 2021Burlington County Bar Association
- November 2, 2020
- Brett Gorman teaches CLE, "Special Education Law When the Schools are Closed"May 20, 2020Burlington County Bar Association
- Technology in the Workplace: Top 10 Issues for School District EmployersJanuary 30, 2020 | 10:30 a.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Defending Litigation with TechnologyJanuary 30, 2020 | 2:45 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- January 22, 2020
- Negotiation TrendsJanuary 15, 2020 | 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Special Education from All SidesDecember 10, 2019 | 2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.Burlington County Bar Association
- October 3, 2019
- "Practical Considerations for Effective School Safety Plans - Funding SecurityJune 7, 2019 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m.New Jersey School Boards Association
- June 6, 2019
- Discipline and Special Education Students: How to Discipline a Student with an IEPMay 13, 2019 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.New Jersey School Boards Association
- February 11, 2019
- George Morris to Present at Techspo 2019January 31, 2019 | 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Susan Hodges to Present an Educational Session on Negotiation TrendsNovember 14, 2018 | 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Andrew Li to Present at NJSBA WorkshopOctober 24, 2018 | 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.New Jersey School Boards Assocation
- Andrew Li to Participate in Mock Board Session at NJSBA WorkshopOctober 24, 2018 | 12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.New Jersey School Boards Association
- October 15, 2018
- September 24, 2018
- September 14, 2018 | 1:00 p.m.
- June 22, 2018
- February 6, 2018 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- The Intersection of OPRA, School Technology and the LawJanuary 26, 2018 | 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Social Media, Cyber-bullying and First Amendment RightsJanuary 25, 2018 | 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Current Cyber Threats and District ResponsesApril 4, 2017 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.New Jersey Association of School Administrators
- Part II: EmploymentJanuary 24, 2017 | 9:00 a.m. - NoonNew Jersey School Administrators Education and Research Foundation
- Two Parker McCay attorneys speak at the New Jersey School Boards Association's "Highlights of Workshop: Legal Issues Boot Camp."April 2, 2016 and April 16, 2016 | 9:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m.New Jersey School Boards Association
- Amy Guerin - Social Media and First Amendment Rights at NJSBA ProgramApril 2, 2016 and April 16, 2016 | 2:00 p.m.New Jersey School Boards Association
- Brett E.J. Gorman Presenting at NBI Special Education Law SeminarDecember 8, 2015National Business Institute
- Cameron Morgan Presenting at Special Education Law ConferenceMay 8, 2015Lehigh University
Articles
Articles
- Parker McCay Blog, January 14, 2022
- Parker McCay Blog, June 28, 2021
- Parker McCay Blog, January 13, 2021
- Parker McCay Blog, March 9, 2020
- Parker McCay Blog, January 17, 2020
- Parker McCay Blog, October 4, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, August 21, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, June 17, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, May 30, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, January 24, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, January 17, 2019
- Parker McCay Blog, December 14, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, October 16, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, October 12, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, August 31, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, August 28, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, August 13, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, June 27, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, June 22, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, June 4, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, May 22, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, May 9, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, April 16, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, March 23, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, February 23, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, February 21, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, February 7, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, February 2, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, January 30, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, January 26, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, January 17, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, January 10, 2018
- Parker McCay Blog, December 13, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, November 28, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, November 2, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, October 10, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, September 18, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, September 18, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, August 4, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, March 24, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, February 23, 2017
- Parker McCay Blog, November 30, 2016
- Parker McCay Blog, October 17, 2016
- Parker McCay Blog, August 23, 2016
- Parker McCay Blog, July 29, 2016
- Parker McCay Blog, August 20, 2015