Education Law

Over the years, the attorneys of Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC have been recognized for their expertise in all areas of school law.

The firm has maintained long-standing relationships with our clients and the Statewide recognition as experts we have received from entities such as the New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group. The extensive knowledge and experience of our attorneys enables Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC to assist our education clients in many other pertinent areas of law as well.  Some of the areas in which we assist our school board clients maintain legal compliance include bid drafting and specification questions, special education, contracts, first amendment rights, employee and student civil rights, construction, bonding and land use, school ethics, labor negotiations, and employee and student discipline.  Our team approach to servicing our educational clients is not only cost effective, but it also enables us to offer our clients a full spectrum of services. Additionally, we provide trial and appellate litigation services, as well as handle matters before State and federal administrative agencies.  We routinely appear before the Commissioner of Education, the Civil Service Commission, the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission, the Division on Civil Rights, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Administrative Law.

With regard to the special education, as referenced above, we regularly provide counseling and services in all such matters, including participating in Individual Education Program (“IEP”) meetings, child study team (“CST”) trainings, student record review, resolution sessions, mediations and due process hearings before the Office of Administrative Law.  We also counsel CST members on a regular basis regarding student-specific challenges and legal compliance with student programming.

With regard to school construction projects, we routinely draft, review, and negotiate contracts and bid specifications.  Additionally, we work closely with all parties involved, including attorneys, staff, engineers and architects.  When necessary, we resolve questions and issues involving finance options, federal and State grants, State regulations, environmental permitting, condemnation, contract and bid specifications, performance and payment bond defaults, and insurance contract interpretation.  Accordingly, our firm is able to provide guidance at all stages of the process, including the initial evaluation of issues related to bid disputes, construction claims, and change orders.  Throughout the process we work closely with architects and construction managers with the goal of resolving any issues before formal dispute resolution and/or litigation proceedings become necessary.