Best Lawyers in America for Education Law
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State
David L. Jones is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Construction Law, Education Law and Litigation - Construction. David L. practices law in Little Rock, Arkansas Best Lawyers has recognized David L. Jones since 2020. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David L. Jones is held by other lawyers.
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.
Mr. Weinstock represents public and private sector employers exclusively in all aspects of labor relations and employment law before state and federal courts, arbitration boards and state and federal administrative agencies, including the State Board of Labor Relations, State Board of Mediation and Arbitration, American Arbitration Association and Freedom of Information Commission. He represents employers in collective bargaining negotiations, grievance and interest arbitrations and prohibite...
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.
Art Melendres concentrates his practice primarily in administrative, education, commercial and municipal finance law. For more than thirty-five years, clients have sought Art’s expertise when faced with disputes involving education, administrative law, commercial law or public financing. For more than twenty-five years, Art has served as general counsel for the Albuquerque Public Schools, a school district of more than 90,000 students and 11,000 employees. He regularly advises the Schoo...
Nicole Proesch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law and Employment Law - Management. Nicole, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicole is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. With over 20 years of experience, Attorney Nicole Proesch has a practice that focuses on Employment L...
Kate L. Nash practices primarily in the areas of higher education, education, non-profit, litigation, labor and employment law. Kate works primarily with educational institutions, including public and private colleges and universities, community colleges, public school districts and charter schools. She regularly advises these institutions, as well as private employers, on all manner of employment issues including Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA and related state laws. She advises inst...
Meghan Glynn advises K-12 public schools, municipalities, and higher education institutions across a wide variety of school law matters, encompassing practically every issue involving policy development and implementation, student rights, student discipline and due process, student bullying and harassment, Title IX and sex-based discrimination, personnel matters, employee discipline, employment and labor law, collective bargaining, New Hampshire’s Right to Know Law, school board governa...
For over 40 years, Jerry Zelin has devoted his practice to representing New Hampshire school districts in a wide array of student-related matters including special education, inter-district residency disputes, juvenile court cases, pupil discipline, civil rights, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and limits on the state and federal governments’ authority to regulate local school districts. Jerry has successfully represented school districts in some of New Ha...
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...
Mr. Pennington is the Managing Shareholder and a founding member of the Birmingham Office of Ogletree Deakins. For more than two decades, he has represented employers in a wide range of labor and employment law matters, including administrative agency charges, federal and state court litigation, union campaigns and collective bargaining. Mr. Pennington strives to help employers achieve peaceful, productive workplaces. He helps employers avoid workplace disputes by providing management trainin...
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...
W. Stuart Stuller is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Education Law. W. Stuart practices law in Boulder, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized W. Stuart Stuller since 2012. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which W. Stuart Stuller is held by other lawyers.
Emily Runyon is a litigation and trial attorney who defends insurance carriers, corporations and health care institutions in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and bad faith lawsuits. Combining her years of experience as a litigator with her previous experience as an Arkansas Supreme Court clerk, Emily provides her clients with comprehensive counsel in litigation and insurance coverage matters. From the onset of any matter, Emily strives to understand her clients’ busi...
Heather Willey advises clients in the areas of government services, government finance, and education and healthcare law. Practical and analytical, Heather is an ardent team player who is able to create synergy among even the most diverse parties, working through issues collaboratively while realizing her client’s goals. Heather focuses her practice on broad governmental and municipal law issues for cities, towns and counties. A registered Indiana lobbyist, Heather has been involved in ...
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.
