McLane Middleton will be well represented at next week’s National Association of Independent School’s Annual Conference in Atlanta and the National Business Officers Association’s Annual Meeting in Nashville.
Several of our attorneys will be presenting during both conferences on legal trends, information security, transparency, working with your school’s board, and working with your legal counsel.
McLane Middleton Speaking Schedule:
NAIS Annual Conference
East Meets West: Local and National Legal Trends to Follow or Avoid
Thursday, March 8 | 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, March 8 | 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Fusion is not just a type of cuisine. Local, state, and national trends impact all independent schools and affect the expectations of employees, parents, and students. Which trends should you follow and which should you avoid? Which will make your school more competitive, more compliant, and better able to anticipate and avoid legal claims? Explore evolving legal standards from California to Connecticut and find out what schools in other states can expect. Prepare for a wide-ranging, interactive experience!
McLane Middleton Attorney Presenting: Susan E. Schorr
Co-Presenter: Michael Blacher (Liebert, Cassidy & Whitmore)
Room number: B207
How Transparent Is Your School? New Expectations in School Communications
Thursday, March 8 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 8 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
A new era in school communications is upon us. Parents, alumni, and even the public now expect that a school will communicate with full transparency about matters that impact student safety. From educator sexual misconduct to student sexual assaults, “no comment” is no longer tolerated. Hear from the head of Sidwell Friends, experienced school legal counsel, and a nationally recognized communications firm about how schools are handling stakeholder communications and inquiries from the press.
McLane Middleton Attorney Presenting: Linda S. Johnson
Co-Presenters: Bryan Garman (Sidwell Friends School) and Sandy Lish (The Castle Group)
Room number: B211
Preparing to Work Collaboratively and Effectively with Your School’s Board When Responding to a Crisis
Thursday, March 8 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 8 | 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
To effectively respond to a crisis, independent school administrators must be able to work collaboratively with the board. Discuss key elements that should be in place in advance of a crisis to facilitate an effective working relationship. First, the trustees and administrators must understand and accept their different, but crucial, roles. Second, both must agree on the values and principles that will guide their decision making. Third, they should establish a process that allows for expeditious decision making and action. Taking these steps initially amid a crisis is extremely difficult and may make the crisis worse.
McLane Middleton Attorney Presenting: David Wolowitz
Co-Presenter: Aimeclaire Roche (The Bishop’s School)
Room number: B310
Working Efficiently and Effectively with Your School’s Legal Counsel
Thursday, March 8 | 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Thursday, March 8 | 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Understanding how to work with legal counsel as a team is vital to reducing and managing risks while also containing costs and focusing on preventive, rather than reactive, measures. The presenters have deep experience working inside and outside of independent schools on legal and policy issues. Understanding how best to utilize attorneys is (for better or worse) as skill set that all administrators and board members need to develop.
McLane Middleton Attorney Presenting: David Wolowitz
Co-Presenter: David Hanson (Phillips Exeter Academy)
Room number: B214
NBOA Annual Meeting:
Information Security, Compliance and Coverage for Independent Schools
Tuesday, March 6 | 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Tuesday, March 6 | 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
In recent years there has been an explosive growth in the amount of data created, transmitted and stored. Many federal and state laws impose obligations regarding the storage and transmission of personal data. Discover the dangers data storage can pose for independent schools and review laws governing privacy and data security. Examine the steps to mitigate risks and understand how to best respond in the event of a data-security breach.
McLane Middleton Attorney Presenting: Cameron G. Shilling
Co-Presenters: Lisa Braiterman (Brewster Academy) and Jeff Olsen (Fred C. Church)