For more than 20 years, McArthur & Levin has devoted its practice exclusively to representation of school districts and county offices of education. The focus is on the representation of these agencies in connection with special education and related disability laws.
Because of its focused practice, McArthur & Levin offers special expertise in representing its clients at the administrative level before the Office of Administrative Hearings, in matters involving the Office for Civil Rights, the California Department of Education, and in state and federal courts.
To ensure the highest quality representation, McArthur & Levin maintains a current and comprehensive print and digital library with access to all relevant case law and related literature specific to its practice. Research tools available to the staff include Lexis, Special Education Connection, special education and disability law reporters, OCR Letters of Finding and OSEP Policy Letters as well as numerous other computerized on-line databases. These resources allow us to handle matters promptly and efficiency.
McArthur & Levin regularly speaks on special education issues, education and disability laws, and provides trainings to clients and disability related organizations. In addition, its large client base exposes its attorneys to a broad array of creative approaches to complying with the ever-expanding requirements of disability laws and changing landscape of public entity regulation, and to dealing with the complexities of the diverse issues faced today by school districts. This experience allows McArthur & Levin to bring to its clients a unique national perspective as well as a wealth of information resources, thereby enabling its attorneys to provide the most comprehensive and up to date advice and advocacy on matters affecting its clients.
With its comprehensive expertise and its unique focus on public entity representation, McArthur & Levin offers services to school districts in the following areas, including:
- Advice as to the presentation of programs designed to meet requirements for provision of free appropriate public education as defined by federal and state laws and policies, including issues relating to non-public schools/agencies (NPS/NPA), Licensed Care Institutions, Charter Schools, et cetera;
- Auditing of written policies and practices regarding disabled children for compliance with the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act;
- Advice and consultation regarding assessment procedures;
- Advice and consultation regarding eligibility for services and program accessibility;
- Advice and representation involving suspension, expulsion, and exclusion issues;
- Representation in Individualized Education Program (IEP) team meetings, mediations, and before state administrative hearing bodies (due process hearings), and in Federal and State Court litigation;
- Representation before state and federal agencies (Office of Civil Rights, California Department of Education, etc.), during investigation and/or compliance proceedings;
- Representation in damage lawsuits based on alleged violations of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act;
- Advice on school policies, contracts, personnel and general operational and procedural issues;
- Advice on funding issues, particularly complex special education related funding.
School districts have special legal responsibilities, and are governed by complex state and federal laws and regulations. Experience and expertise in these laws is essential for attorneys representing public agencies to reduce or avoid problems before they occur, and to effectively represent their clients should the need arise. McArthur & Levin is uniquely qualified to provide services in these areas from an informed, professional perspective.