School & Education

Practice Overview

At Drummond Woodsum, we provide comprehensive legal guidance to both public and private schools throughout Maine and New Hampshire. Our team of attorneys and consultants specializes in a wide range of education law areas, including student rights, employment law, special education, collective bargaining, and school policy. We take a team approach to ensure the right expertise is always available to support your school’s needs, from everyday advice to complex litigation.

School Employment & Labor

• Employment
  We help school districts in Maine and New Hampshire navigate all aspects of employment law, including federal and state regulations like the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Our services include policy development, training for school boards and administrators, and guidance on employee issues like terminations and discrimination. When needed, we represent schools in mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
• Employee Benefits
  We provide comprehensive support for school employee benefits, including advice on retirement plans (403(b), 457 plans, Maine State Retirement), health insurance, Social Security, COBRA, and more. Our attorneys help schools ensure compliance and manage employee benefit programs efficiently.
• Collective Bargaining
  We assist school districts in Maine and New Hampshire with collective bargaining, serving as negotiators or advisors. Our team also supports schools in resolving disputes, handling grievances, and developing strategies to address union campaigns and labor relations issues.

Special Education

Special education law is a tapestry of federal and state laws and regulations that were enacted to prohibit discrimination against children with special needs and to ensure that all children receive a free and appropriate public education. Drummond Woodsum has extensive experience navigating these laws, advising schools on the delivery of special education services, and representing them in legal disputes. We provide ongoing support with IEP facilitation and work to help school districts manage complex cases while avoiding costly litigation whenever possible.

Our special education services include:

• Advocacy in special education due process and mediation
• Guidance on developing policies and procedures for special education
• Training for school staff on disability services and compliance with state and federal laws
• Assistance with IDEA and Section 504 requirements
• Representation in placement disputes and least restrictive environment issues
• Ongoing IEP facilitation and development

With over 40 years of experience in federal and state special education law, Drummond Woodsum possesses a broad range of hands-on experience in special education. Our extensive knowledge of the culture, customs, and practices of the special education community helps us offer solutions that not only comply with the law but also reflect evolving “best practices” and informed judgments about legal trends within special education. When you require legal advice in a matter involving special education, you can feel secure and confident in working with Drummond Woodsum’s talented special education attorneys and consultants.

Public Finance

Drummond Woodsum’s public finance law team serves as bond counsel and issuer’s counsel on behalf of municipalities, school districts, counties, and other governmental entities. We have extensive experience with many aspects of public finance law, including tax-exempt bonds, tax credit bonds, TRANs, and lease purchase agreements. More generally, we advise our clients on a wide range of financial and business matters, including local budget authorization, tax assessment, education funding, reorganization, employee benefits, public bidding, and procurement. We have extensive experience representing the public owner in all aspects of construction projects.

Disability Law

Drummond Woodsum attorneys advise many public and private sector clients on the scope of their duties toward students, employees and other persons with disabilities, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, building accessibility issues, and representation in legal disputes arising under the ADA, Section 504, state and federal special education laws, and state human rights acts.

School Policy Analysis

Drummond Woodsum attorneys and consultants assist school districts with drafting and analyzing school board policies, administrative procedures, school rules, and student and staff handbooks to ensure compliance with legal requirements and best practices.

School Computer & Technology Law

Drummond Woodsum advises school units on a wide variety of issues relating to computer technology and use of smartphones, cell phones, and other devices, including acceptable use policies for students and employees, investigation of misuse of the internet by students and employees, and contracts with software and hardware vendors and internet service providers.