Best Lawyers in America for Education Law

Mr. Dorsey is involved in a wide variety of general and special labor relations and employment issues including union representation elections, contract negotiations and administration, unfair labor practice charges and employment discrimination matters in both the public and private sectors. Mr. Dorsey focuses his practice in the area of labor and education law, representing municipalities and boards of education in all aspects of labor relations and school-related claims, including contract...

Matthew W. Wright is the managing member of MWW Law, LLC dba Wright Litigation Consulting. He holds a preeminent-AV rating, which is the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell national registry of preeminent attorneys. Mr. Wright has been named repeatedly to the list of Best Lawyers® Southwest Super Lawyers®. In addition to being a seasoned trial lawyer, Mr. Wright’s practice includes extensive appellate court experience with appearances before The United States Supreme Court,...

Janica Pierce Tucker is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Employment Law - Individuals, Employment Law - Management, Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Janica Pierce practices law in Columbus, Ohio Best Lawyers has recognized Janica Pierce Tucker since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area...

Penney Rector is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Education Law. Penney practices law in St. Louis, Missouri Best Lawyers has recognized Penney Rector since 2026. 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 Penney Rector is held by other lawyers.

Melanie Gurley Keeney practices in the areas of education, higher education, labor and employment, and immigration law. Her experience in education law includes representing school districts and institutions of higher education regarding various personnel and student matters, including tenure, terminations, discrimination, First Amendment, discipline, special education, Title IX, sexual discrimination, § 1983 claims, Open Meetings law, OCR complaints and other issues. Melanie represents ...

L. Kelly Frels is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Education Law and Government Relations Practice. L. Kelly practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized L. Kelly Frels since 2008. 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 L. Kelly Frels is held by other lawyers.

Dick’s litigation and appellate practice focuses primarily on business and commercial disputes, employment law, education law, and civil rights cases that are typically resolved in federal court. He frequently appears in the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Maine and New Hampshire and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Dick devotes a significant portion of his practice to the representation of individuals with disabilities and their families, often in cases ari...

Grant Wiens is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Education Law, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Grant practices law in St. Louis, Missouri Best Lawyers has recognized Grant Wiens since 2022. 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 Grant Wiens is held by other lawyers.

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...

Eric Paley is a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits team and practice group co-leader of the Labor & Employment practice group. He advises clients on how to comply with the laws governing their employee benefits programs. What do you focus on? Three hallmarks distinguish my practice. Representing nonprofit organizations I work primarily (though not exclusively) with a wide range of nonprofit organizations—hospitals/health systems, colleges/universities, iconic arts/cultural...

Elizabeth A. Kaleva is an attorney in Missoula, Montana, focusing her practice on representation of public and private school districts throughout the state of Montana, as well as the Montana High School Association. Bea graduated from Boston College in 1991, and the University of Montana School of Law in 1995. After clerking for a year, Bea joined the Montana School Boards Association as a staff attorney. She rose to the General Counsel position and remained with the MTSBA until 2003, when s...

Richard E. Bump is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Education Law and Real Estate Law. Richard E. practices law in Boulder, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Richard E. Bump since 2009. 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 Richard E. Bump is held by other lawyers.

Charles F. Printz, Jr., is a partner in the Martinsburg office of Bowles Rice. He is a former leader of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group and serves on the firm’s Executive Committee. He is also a member of the firm’s Financial Services Litigation Team. He concentrates his practice in all aspects of civil litigation, including business litigation, commercial disputes, employer liability, employment law, condemnation and wrongful death/personal injury. He has trie...

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 ...

Nathan A. Adams IV is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Education Law, Health Care Law and Litigation - Health Care. Nathan A. practices law in Tallahassee, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized Nathan A. Adams IV since 2023. 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 Nathan A. Adams IV is held by other l...

Melissa Schilling represents public and private sector employers in labor and employment matters. In that role, she has successfully represented clients in state and federal cases involving a broad range of labor and employment laws, including Title VII, the American with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Melissa also has extensive experience investigating and handling matters filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and related...