Education

Overview

Eckert Seamans provides a broad range of legal services for private and public educational institutions – elementary and secondary through higher education. Through our coordinated, multi-disciplinary team approach, we provide legal counsel in an efficient and cost-effective manner. We represent client interests in the areas of student relations, personnel matters, litigation, corporate law, financing, insurance law, estates and taxation, constitutional law, real estate, construction, environmental law, and intellectual property, among others.

Eckert Seamans attorneys act as outside general counsel and handle individual cases, transactions, and matters for independent private schools, private colleges, and state-related institutions of higher education and advise on all aspects of operations. Such matters involve student relations, student discipline, Title IX, student loans, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student disability and accommodation, student sexual assault, student self-harm, international exchange programs, policy handbooks, and contract matters.

Our attorneys also have significant experience in matters relating to faculty and non-faculty labor and employment and benefit plans. These include matters regarding both union and non-union employees, collective bargaining agreement negotiation, union grievances and arbitrations, litigation and labor board, and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other administrative agency cases.

Another focus of the education practice is overseeing internal investigations and representing educational institutions with respect to governmental investigations. We also handle matters involving issues of academic freedom, athletic team issues, and numerous campus police related issues.

Specifically for independent private schools, attorneys have over two decades of direct experience providing practical legal solutions to complex school legal matters. Attorneys routinely counsel on all aspects of operations, including private school discipline procedures, student records maintenance and access, reservation agreements, parent handbooks, vendor contracts, anti-bullying policies, and mandated reporting of abuse and neglect. Attorneys also provide internal faculty, staff, and administration training, and also regularly assist with by-law reviews and updates as well as other board governance matters. Eckert Seamans attorneys understand and respect the balance between the law and the unique community that comprises each specific private independent school.