Advising clients on all aspects of educational matters
Foley Hoag’s Education Practice Group advises public and private education clients on the full array of complex legal issues facing educational institutions, educational advocacy groups, and the educational publishing and media industry. Our clients range from nationally prominent research universities to Massachusetts charter schools to major curriculum providers.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in developing legislative and regulatory strategies for educational clients at all levels—many have worked previously as staff members in Congress and at the Department of Education, and played key roles in the drafting and implementation of major education legislation including No Child Left Behind, the Higher Education Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, the Assistive Technology Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We also have significant experience in providing legal advice to educational institutions, on issues as diverse as institutional governance, student affairs, facilities planning, and faculty employment.
Foley Hoag attorneys frequently serve as special counsel to institutions on issues involving patents and the protection of intellectual property. Our depth of experience in working with the education sector enables us to develop tailored, targeted solutions for clients based on our keen understanding of the unique issues and pressures faced by educators, administrators and education advocacy groups.
Representative Experience
The following matters are a brief selection of the work we perform for our education clients.
- Acted as general counsel to Suffolk University, Emerson College, Berklee College of Music, Phillips Academy, Andover, Beaver Country Day School, Summit Montessori School and The Carroll School.
- Represented several major for-profit colleges and universities in developing and implementing comprehensive federal legislative and regulatory strategies.
- Advised Massachusetts charter schools on matters of institutional governance and compliance with state statute and regulation, and represented charter schools in administrative proceedings before the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as well as in judicial proceedings in the Massachusetts courts.
- Represented prospective charter schools in the development of their charter application proposals and in navigating the state chartering process.
- Represented Suffolk University, Berklee College of Music, Emerson College and the University of Massachusetts in their relationships with their unions, including faculty unions.
- Represented Johns Hopkins University, Harvard University, Stanford University and MIT in matters relating to patents, intellectual property and information transfer.
- Represented Suffolk University in the acquisition of sites, permitting and construction of its new facilities.
- Advised institutions on the proprietary school licensure process in Massachusetts, as well as on compliance matters related to the proprietary school statute and regulations.
- Represented institutions in sex, race and handicap discrimination cases filed by students and employees.
- Advised Cabrini College on matters of institutional governance and powers reserved by the religious order which founded the College.
- Represented universities and schools in numerous matters involving faculty promotion, tenure and/or dismissal.
