Education Attorneys—Necessary Teammates for Education Industry Clients
Complex Needs Require Professional, Responsive Education Attorneys
The daily interactions with students, parents, employees, and the public at large expose education industry clients to complex and delicate legal matters. Professional education attorneys help parents advocate for their children and partner with education providers to anticipate problems and work through legal concerns before these issues turn into legal liabilities or a loss of goodwill with the communities served. In the event that litigation is unavoidable, education industry lawyers understand the varied legal concepts involved, are up-to-date on developments in the law, and are best situated to defend against such claims.
The education law attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker resolve disputes and defend claims for public or private educational entities. Typical education industry clients include those working in and with private and public educational entities:
- School boards;
- School administrations;
- Individual administrators;
- University and college administrations and their governing boards;
- Curriculum developers;
- Educational testing companies; and
- Other businesses related to the education industry.
There are multiple layers of legal requirements shaping the daily operations of these clients. The education industry is regulated by both federal and state laws such as the following:
- Federal Every Student Succeeds Act;
- Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;
- Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act;
- WV Compulsory Education Law;
- WV Corporal Punishment Law;
- WV School Prayer Law;
- WV School Records Privacy Law; and
- Various policies and regulations issued by the WV Department of Education; and WV State Board of Education.
Legal concerns in the education industry often arise from student rights, but many concerns extend beyond the student body and directly affect the entire community. This adds a level of complexity and sensitivity that is best handled in consultation with education industry lawyers. Our education attorneys work in all areas of education law, from generally applicable public education requirements to specific guidelines and regulations for special education law.
Beyond Education Law: The Attorneys at Jenkins Fenstermaker Can Serve All Your Legal Needs
Jenkins Fenstermaker is a full-service law firm with many areas of practice to help school districts and other education industry clients with all of their legal needs—whether transactional, compliance-based, or involving litigation:
- Labor and Employment;
- Workers’ Compensation;
- Health Care;
- Construction;
- Environmental;
- Free Speech/Constitutional Law;
- Insurance Defense; and
- Insurance Coverage Litigation.
Our broad range of practice areas can help education industry clients with all of their legal services needs.
Serving the Education Industry as Employer
Educational entities are not just providers of education services; they are employers, too. As employers, education industry clients are subject to federal and state labor and employment laws.
Jenkins Fenstermaker’s labor and employment attorneys provide counseling services in the areas of labor-management relations, human resources counseling and training, and regulatory compliance. When necessary, the firm’s attorneys represent employers in both federal and state courts as well as before various federal and state governmental bodies.
Sound Advice on Worker’s Compensation Injuries and Other Liabilities
Injuries occur on the job, and educational employers need to be prepared to deal with the legal ramifications. Jenkins Fenstermaker’s workers’ compensation attorneys are prepared to represent education employers as they navigate the workers’ compensation claims process or face litigation under West Virginia’s deliberate intent statute.
Special Interests of Public Sector Education Clients
As political subdivisions, public education organizations have distinct needs because of their unique relationship with the public. The firm’s municipal liability defense team counsels these clients about risk management and liability avoidance. If litigation is necessary, the firm’s attorneys have deep experience in defending public sector clients as well as invoking any available immunities to avoid liability.
Our Education Attorneys’ Commitment to Client Service Sets Us Apart
For over 90 years, the firm of Jenkins Fenstermaker has been synonymous with exceptional client service, and the firm’s education industry attorneys carry on that tradition with pride. To discuss the legal needs of your education organization, request a consultation with one of the firm’s experienced education attorneys by calling (304) 523-2100 (or (866) 617-4736 toll-free) or complete this online contact form.