Our talented, creative, and energetic lawyers have been fortunate to represent educational institutions across the spectrum, from non-profit universities to for-profit educational institutions. Our firm represents grade schools, high schools, colleges and universities in a wide variety of litigation, compliance and labor and employment issues.  We also represent a large number of charter schools and have been on the forefront of the alternative school movement.  We are passionate about helping educational institutions grow stronger so that they can better serve their students.

Not-For-Profit Education

We have advised private universities and schools on a range of topics, including various employment law and executive compensation matters, intellectual property litigation involving trademark protection in an international partnering arrangement between two universities, and tax and ERISA issues.  We have worked with schools and educational organizations to obtain and preserve federally recognized tax-exempt status, as well as counseled them on "unrelated business taxable income," tax-exempt financing and fundraising, and other esoteric tax issues. We have advised clients on failure to educate and educational malpractice matters, ensuring that the related, complex underlying insurance coverage issues are fully appreciated. We have represented clients in complex tenure disputes, handled mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic alliances, and we have represented clients on matters arising out of teaching and research activities.

For-Profit Education

We represent many organizations whose business is education, including a public company that operates 83 global campuses offering programs in business, visual arts, computer technology and culinary development; an Internet-based company that offers online scholarship and financial aid information to prospective college students; a company specializing in language immersion programs for children; and a company that produces corporate training software.  The range of services we provide for these companies includes structuring and negotiating school management agreements, curriculum licenses, joint venture agreements, e-commerce contracts, and private equity financing.

School Reform

We have invested significant time and energy toward understanding the dynamics fueling school reform efforts.  We are not content to understand the law as it currently exists; we strive to predict and influence how legal and business issues will evolve in this dynamic environment.

We currently serve as outside labor and employment counsel to an association of educational institutions and we represent 15-plus charter schools. Our work for these schools encompasses a wide spectrum of legal services, including bond financing and contract negotiations with one of the country's largest school districts and with some of the country’s largest public and private education management companies.  We have successfully defended schools in litigation matters involving claims of employment discrimination, wrongful termination of a management contract, wrongful disclosure of discipline, construction  and design litigation, and tort claims (negligent supervision, failure to warn).

Leaders in Education

Several firm members are active participants in education initiatives.  David Chizewer is at the forefront of the legal issues affecting the education reform movement.  He is one of the founders and Board President of the Chicago International Charter School, the nation's largest charter school, and also founded the Illinois Network of Charter Schools.  He has been a member of the Education Policy Group for the Barack Obama U.S. Senate and Presidential Campaigns.  In May 2005, he argued a seminal charter school case before the Illinois Supreme Court. Jerry Jenkins is also a founding board member of Chicago International Charter School and he served as a board member for Highland Park School District #108 for seven years, including  serving as the district's president.

For more information about our Education Industry Group, please contact:

Michael Sullivan
312.201.3963
michael.sullivan@goldbergkohn.com