Education

Hancock & Estabrook delivers a full range of legal services to educational institutions from small school districts to large universities. Our education attorneys represent clients on matters ranging from day-to-day education and school lawl issues to contract negotiations to municipal financing. Clients also draw from our attorneys' expertise in numerous specialty areas including labor & employment law, tax certiorari proceedings, environmental law, election law, special education, appeals to the Commissioner of Education, construction matters and complex litigation.

We take a proactive and preventative approach by presenting workshops, seminars and in-service programs, and by distributing periodic updates and newsletters on important legal developments, targeted to the needs of our education clients. Our goal is to provide the highest quality legal services in the most timely and cost-effective manner possible.

Areas of Practice

Hancock & Estabrook represents institutions in all areas of education and employment law, defending their interests in federal and state court, and before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), New York State Division of Human Rights (NYSDHR), New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB), Workers' Compensation Board and the State Department of Labor. Our legal services also include collective bargaining, labor arbitrations, investigations, supervisory and employee training, and litigation as follows:

Labor Relations:

• Collective bargaining
• Contract administration
• Grievances and arbitrations
• Defense of unfair labor practices
• Disciplinary investigations

Employment Law:

• Accommodation of disabilities
• Employment discrimination defense
• Sexual and racial harassment litigation
• Supervisory and employment training

Board Policy Development:

• Policy development and revision
• Policy and regulation implementation

Municipal Financing and Construction:

• Contract preparation and review
• Environmental studies
• Financing
• Construction-related claims

In the great majority of cases, we obtained dismissal of claims at an early stage, achieved our clients' goals and preserved their interests with minimum legal expense. When necessary, however, we provide the legal expertise and muscle needed to try cases to verdict.

Our recent successes for educational institutions include:

• Favorable jury verdicts in federal and state courts in defense of sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, First Amendment and Section 1983 claims;
• Defense of employers in PERB proceedings against charges of unfair labor practices;
• Service as chief spokesperson in collective bargaining on behalf of employers in negotiations with numerous unions;
• Representation in a variety of labor arbitrations over contract interpretations and disciplinary action including seniority lists, discharge of employees for misconduct and theft, assignment of teaching assistants and assignment of non-teaching duties;
• Representation of school districts in 3020-a proceedings resulting in the termination of teachers for a wide variety of misconduct from ineffective teaching to cheating (providing answers on Regents exam);
• Dismissal, on the basis of lack of probable cause, of complaints alleging discrimination and/or retaliation filed with federal, state and administrative agencies; and
• Defense of school districts in impartial hearings and appeals to the State Review Officer in special education matters.

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