Sessions & Speakers
October 7, 2024 | Working with Legal Counsel
Paul Clay
With over 35 years of experience representing school districts as general counsel and as litigation counsel, Paul has served as general counsel to a number of large, small, and mid-sized school districts throughout Washington State, and has successfully litigated a number of high-profile cases. He is a regular presenter and lecturer on a wide variety of school district legal topics at universities and professional organizations.
Leveraging Legal Expertise: Maximizing the Value of Your Counsel
This training equips leaders with strategies to effectively collaborate with legal counsel, navigate complex educational policies, and proactively address legal challenges in school administration. Through real-world case studies and expert insights, superintendents will gain the tools to foster stronger legal partnerships and make informed decisions that ensure compliance and protect their districts.
November 19, 2024 | OPMA Compliance
Jon Dalley
Jon serves as general counsel for school districts. In that role, he collaborates with administrators and board members about the day-to-day operations of schools, advising them on a range of topics. Some of those topics include employee discipline, employee benefits, collective bargaining, student discipline, special education, school board obligations, and school board policies. He enjoys working with educators to find practical solutions to their problems.
OPMA Essentials: Your Guide to Open Meetings Compliance
This training provides school leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and its implications for school district governance. Participants will learn key legal requirements for conducting transparent meetings, maintaining public trust, and avoiding common compliance pitfalls.
December 17, 2024 | Navigating Difficult Bargains and Strikes
Jason MacKay
With over 14 years’ experience in education and labor law, Jason has extensive experience advising on a wide range of legal issues, including labor and employment matters, board governance, public records act and open public meetings act compliance, constitutional issues, and litigation and risk management. Jason’s litigation experience includes defending against actions brought in state court and federal court, administrative hearings, statutory hearings, and arbitrations.
Navigating Stormy Waters: Handling Difficult Bargains and Strikes
As contentious bargains and strikes continue to plague Washington school districts, it is vital for educational leaders to understand how to address those issues. In this presentation, attendees will learn best practices for handling strikes and other disruptive labor actions. Attendees will also learn tips and tricks on how to deal with aggressive and confrontational union representatives. The presenter will use real life examples and case studies based on his own experiences.
January 16, 2025 | Public Records
Jason Brown
Jason brings a wealth of experience representing school districts and other public sector clients. He graduated from Gonzaga University School of Law, where he was the Executive Editor of the Gonzaga Law Review. Before joining Stevens Clay in 2022, Jason served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for over 14 years. During that time, he served in the Labor and Industries, Torts, Education, and Transportation and Public Construction Divisions. As a member of the Labor and Industries Division, Jason defended decisions of the Washington Department of Labor and Industries in workers ‘compensation claims and contractor citations. As a member of the Torts Division, Jason defended state agencies and employees against lawsuits in state and federal court. Although Jason defended a broad variety of cases, he specialized in employment discrimination cases. As a member of the Education Division, Jason served as general counsel to three institutions of higher education, an educational service district, and a museum. As a member of the Transportation and Public Construction Division, Jason represented the Washington State Department of Transportation in eminent domain and other real property cases.
Public Records Pitfalls: Avoiding Common Mistakes
In this training, we will explore the fundamentals of the Public Records Act (PRA) and its impact on school district operations. Participants will gain insights into handling public records requests, ensuring compliance with legal obligations, and balancing transparency with privacy considerations. The session will also cover common mistakes and misconceptions about the PRA, helping leaders avoid costly errors and potential legal challenges.
March 5, 2025 | Student Discipline
Garret Williams
As a litigator who advises and defends public school districts and other large employers on abroad range of legal issues, including labor and employment, general liability, special education, and insurance & risk pool defense, Garrett’s litigation experience includes defending against actions brought in state and federal courts, administrative hearings, statutory hearings, and arbitrations. Garrett also defends against investigations by administrative agencies, conducts neutral workplace investigations, and advises employers on their internal policies and procedures.
Student Discipline Spring Review: Key Updates and Strategies for Success
This presentation will explore recent developments in student discipline regulations, highlighting rule changes and emerging hot topics. Attendees will also gain insights into common challenges faced by educators and administrators, along with practical strategies for ensuring compliance.
April 3, 2025 | District Liability
Kevin O’Neill
Kevin has over 17 years of experience representing school districts in both private practice and as in-house counsel, including as General Counsel of two large school districts in Washington State. He has extensive knowledge of school law matters and has advised school districts in a variety of legal areas, including board governance and district operations, public disclosure and open public meetings act compliance, labor and employment issues, student issues, special education, constitutional issues, and litigation and risk management.
Tony Anselmo
With over 20 years of experience representing school districts on a wide range of legal issues, Tony has extensive experience helping them with labor and employment issues, school board policies and procedures, and navigating the statutory and regulatory environment of contracts, procurement, and real property transactions.Tony has been a presenter on various school district topics for professional organizations and a university. He has served on the Washington Council of School Attorneys Board of Directors. Tony recently completed a term of service as President of the Washington State Council of School Attorneys.
Liability Landmines: Protecting Your District from Legal Pitfalls
This training equips school district leaders with essential knowledge to navigate potential liability risks and legal challenges. Participants will learn key strategies to protect their district from common legal pitfalls related to student safety, employee conduct, and policy implementation. The session also highlights frequent misconceptions and mistakes, helping leaders ensure compliance with legal standards and reduce exposure to lawsuits.