A good school attorney helps a school district avoid legal problems before claims are presented against it. Our first obligation is to assist the Board of Education in avoiding the burdensome entanglements of litigation so that it can focus on its primary purpose of educating children. We take a pro-active approach in representing our school district clients with a philosophy based on three principles: prevention, resolution and advocacy. To accomplish this, we recommend and encourage the open communication which has become the hallmark of our firm. Our attorneys will attend school board meetings upon request, meet on a regular basis with the Superintendent of Schools, business officials and other school staff as needed and will always respond promptly to any client inquiry. When litigation is inevitable, we use our experience and knowledge of the law and schools to resolve conflict as expeditiously and cost effectively as possible. We believe in providing timely assistance to our clients at an early stage to limit the risks and expense of legal proceedings. And, when resolution is not feasible, we use or legal skills to advocate vigorously on our clients’ behalf. learn more
Tax Certiorari
Tax certiorari proceedings can have a substantial impact in many school districts. A tax certiorari is the process by which a taxpayer seeks to lower its assessment. This process has a dual impact on a school district. First, the reduction of assessments results in an increase in the school tax rate. Second, the school district must issue tax refund. learn more
Special Education
We have been on the forefront of special education litigation since the early 1980's. In 1982, our firm’s senior member, Raymond G. Kuntz, argued before the United State Supreme Court on behalf of a school district client. The case, Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson School District v. Rowley, 458 U.S. 176, 102 S. Ct. 3034, 73 L. Ed. 690 (1982), limited the scope of the free appropriate education that public school districts are obligated to offer to disabled pupils. It was a landmark decision that set a reasonable standard for special education and continues to define public school district obligations to disabled pupils in all 50 states to this day. learn more
School Construction
As school district facilities become inadequate to meet the needs of an expanding population, or are simply in need of repair, districts find themselves involved in the construction of new facilities or facility school improvement projects. Our firm has extensive experience in guiding districts through the legal steps that such projects require. learn more
Labor and Employment
The firm is experienced in all aspects of labor and employment law. We have negotiated hundreds of collective bargaining agreements with NYSUT, CSEA, the IBEW, the Transit Workers Union, the Teamsters, and other labor unions. We have negotiated with bargaining units that ranged in size from less than 10 to over 3000 employees. learn more
