Best Lawyers in America for Education Law
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State
Bill Stockmeyer devotes his practice to advising municipalities, schools, and other local government entities on a wide variety of ever-evolving financial and business matters. Leader of the firm’s Public Finance Group, Bill is rated AV, the highest rating awarded by Martindale Hubbell, is listed in Best Lawyers in America in both Public Finance Law and Education Law, and is elected to the American College of Bond Counsel. Bill guides clients through bond issuance, budgetary matters, sc...
Celynda L. Brasher is a founding shareholder of the firm. She practices in the areas of education, litigation, and labor and employment law. Celynda represents numerous school districts throughout Missouri. She regularly advises boards of education and administrators on matters involving employee hiring, evaluation, remediation, and termination; student rights and discipline; special education; school finance; civil rights; contracts; the Missouri Open Meetings Act; church/state issues; and a...
David R. Boyd is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Education Law. David R., who practices law in Montgomery, Alabama, has been recognized since 1995. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Margaret A. Hesse primarily practices in the areas of education law, employment law, and litigation. She has represented school districts in employment matters, including Title VII, the Safe Schools Act, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Equal Pay Act. She has represented employers in labor matters before the United States Department of Labor/Wage and Hour Division, the Illinois Commission on Human Rights and the Illinois Educatio...
Bob Cannella is a native Nebraskan who has practiced law at the firm since graduating from law school in 1972. Bob’s principal legal activities are in the areas of higher education law and the counseling and representation of employers in employment, labor relations, employment discrimination, and preventive employment law matters. Bob fills the lead role in the firm’s representation of Metropolitan Community College, and in that role he works closely with the administration and B...
Janilyn Daub defends employers in labor and employment litigation in federal and state courts, as well as before various governmental agencies, such as the OFCCP, EEOC and NLRB. She is dedicated to helping her clients with the legal issues that arise when managing a workforce, navigating them through the challenges they face while seeking to mitigate future problems and liability. With a practice that is national in scope, Janilyn frequently advises clients on issues related to affirmative ac...
Matt represents public school districts and school entities as solicitor, labor counsel, and special counsel. He also serves private sector clients predominantly in general commercial litigation, most frequently in construction-related disputes. Education Law: Matt currently serves as solicitor for various school entities throughout Western Pennsylvania, including several public school districts and vocational-technical schools. As solicitor for these entities, his experience includes: Review...
Joshua E. Douglass is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law and Education Law. Joshua, who practices law in Missouri and Kansas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joshua E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Valerie Hughes, a partner with the firm's Labor and Employment practice, has more than 25 years of experience in the areas of employment litigation, discrimination and harassment litigation, collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, and administrative proceedings. In addition to her representation of private employers, Val provides general counsel representation to Washington school districts, including state and federal court litigation and administrative hearings.
Tom Smith is dedicated to representing public and private institutions, businesses, and municipalities in litigation and compliance matters. With over 25 years of practice, Tom has handled a diverse array of cases in both state and federal courts. His work includes resolving disputes related to shareholder issues, employment discrimination, commercial contracts, and land use and development challenges. Tom has significant experience as lead counsel in labor negotiations for municipal district...
Janica Pierce Tucker is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Janica Pierce, who practices law in Columbus, Ohio, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Janica Pierce is held by other top lawyers...
Michelle C. Laubin is a senior partner in the firm's Milford office. Her practice focuses on education law, particularly special education law and student matters. Ms. Laubin has represented school districts in countless student discipline and special education matters, including attending planning and placement team (PPT) meetings, negotiation of settlement and mediation agreements, representation in expulsion and due process hearings, as well as resolution of State Department of Education c...
Meg Alli has focused her practice on the representation and counseling of management concerning the umbrella of employment laws and regulations affecting corporate clients, not-for-profit organizations and educational institutions. She has defended employers, schools and colleges in state and federal courts, administrative agencies and arbitration proceedings. Meg has also served as select counsel for employment practices liability insurance carriers and represented employers in wage/hour lit...
Paul G. Lannon Jr. is a partner in Holland & Knight's Litigation Section and a member of the firm's Labor, Employment and Benefits Group and Energy Team. He is co-chair of the Education Team and chair of the Non-Competition, Trade Secrets and Employee Defection Team. Mr. Lannon represents public and private companies in complex civil litigation, counsels businesses on asset protection and workplace issues, and advocates for management in employment disputes. Mr. Lannon also serves as the ...
James O’Shaughnessy focuses his practice on the representation of public school districts, school boards, and other educational institutions, including charter schools and private schools. As leader of the firm’s New Hampshire school law group, Jim’s practice involves the full spectrum of school law matters, including board representation and governance, school district and SAU organization and budgets, cooperative and regional school district issues, school district annual ...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.