For over 50 years education law has been a vital part of the law practice at Wadleigh, Starr & Peters, P.L.L.C.
The School Law team is a full service solution for school districts and school administrative units. We represent school districts and school administrative units throughout the State in all areas of school law, including general matters, student discipline, special education, civil rights, bullying, labor relations, personnel matters, the right-to-know law, school finance, tuition agreements, contracts, bonding issues, district/school administrative unit withdrawal/reorganization, annual meetings, official ballot voting, election recounts, negotiation of tuition agreements. When a client matter crosses disciplines, the team has the ability to draw upon a wide range of attorney resources in the area of commercial transactions, real estate conveyances, land-use, or any other practice area of the firm. In addition, the school attorneys are active in the support of education on a national, regional and state-wide basis, primarily through professional development lectures, seminars, and the support of various legislative initiatives.
Our School Law attorneys are admitted to practice in the State of New Hampshire, the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, the United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court, and they have successfully represented clients before all of these courts. Although equipped to litigate, the School Law attorneys seek to assist clients in reducing risk by favorably resolving problems at the earliest possible stage. We understand that School Districts work for the families, taxpayers, and students of the district, and we treat both our clients and our adversaries with dignity and respect.
Our attorneys have experience advising school districts on all aspects of education law, including but not limited to: after school programs, AREA Agreements, attendance, board hearings, bullying, child abuse and neglect reporting requirements, charter school issues, contract negotiation/review, cyberbullying, disability rights, district of liability determinations, discrimination claims, educational Standards, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), field trip access, First and Fourth Amendment issues, home school issues, Immigration issues, investigations, Joint Maintenance Agreements, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) compliance, policy development and interpretation, religious freedom issues, residency issues, including district of liability issues, policy development, Right-to-know law matters, safe schools reporting act, school budgets/finance, school choice, school nursing standards; Section 504, sexual harassment, student discipline, student privacy, tuition agreements, Title IX, transgender issues, and transportation. The Firm is active in school funding litigation, representing over 10 school districts in the pending litigation against the State of New Hampshire.