California Legal Symposium 2024

California Legal Symposium 2024

Cal-ISBOA is once again partnering with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) to bring you legal updates important to independent school business officers and those with human resources responsibilities. Four curated topics will be presented by LCW attorneys along with a Q&A session to answer all of your questions. With two for one pricing, this is an excellent opportunity for teams, so consider bringing multiple staff members to ensure both your business and HR functions are well-supported. Don't miss this standout event of the year!

Thursday, November 7 Schedule

via Zoom

9:00 - 9:15am  Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:15 - 10:15am  Legal Update/Emerging Legal Issues

Michael Blacher and Jessica Tam

Session Description: Keeping up with changes to the law and evolving best practices can be challenging!  This interactive presentation is designed to inform independent school leaders of current and emerging legal issues by exploring new cases, statutes, and other recent developments from California and around the country. Business Officers, Human Resources professionals and Heads of School will leave this session with insights that will help them manage developing trends and evaluate risk.

10:15 - 10:30am Break

10:30 - 11:30am  Top 10 Strategies to Mitigate and Manage Risks in Independent Schools

Brian Walter and Monica Espejo

Session Description: Independent schools face a unique set of risks that require proactive and strategic management. In this session, we will explore the top 10 effective strategies to mitigate and manage the risks that impact schools, including legal liabilities, parent concerns and personnel challenges.

Participants will dive into:

• Identifying the most common risk management areas in independent schools, including litigation risks, personnel issues, contracts, student activities and safety, and data privacy.
• Implementing policies and procedures that reduce legal, financial, and reputational risks.
• Strengthening risk management frameworks through employee training and effective documentation.
• The role that insurance coverage for schools plays in risk management.
• Strategies for fostering a culture of risk awareness and collaboration between departments to ensure a holistic approach to managing risks.

This interactive session will provide real-world insights, practical tips, and actionable steps to help attendees safeguard their schools against potential challenges. By the end of the session, participants will be better equipped to implement risk management practices that align with their school's mission while ensuring legal and financial security.

11:30 - 12:30pm Lunch

12:30 - 1:30pm Legal Contracts in Independent Schools: Overview of Best Practices for Business Officers and HR Professionals

Heather DeBlanc and Julie Strom

Session Description: In this 60-minute session, attendees will gain an understanding of the key elements of legal contracts that impact their day-to-day operations. From employment agreements to vendor contracts, this session will highlight key contractual considerations, common pitfalls, and best practices for ensuring legal compliance.

Participants will explore:

• The foundational elements of legally sound contracts, including offer, acceptance, consideration, and enforceability.
• Best practices for managing and drafting vendor and employment contracts to ensure protection from liability.
• Internal contract management practices, including who can sign contracts.
• When to rely on internal review versus when to call an attorney.

Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, attendees will leave equipped with actionable strategies to strengthen their school’s contract management practices and minimize legal risks. This session is a must-attend for those seeking to safeguard their institutions while fostering a legally compliant work environment.

1:30 - 1:45pm Break

1:45 - 2:45pm Understanding Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation 

Grace Chan and Madison Tanner

Session Description: Managing employee leave requests can be a complex issue for independent schools. This session will provide a deep dive into the intricacies of providing leaves as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable laws. We will cover how to respond to requests for leave as an accommodation, what information schools can seek, how to manage repeated or successive leave requests or extensions, strategies for maintaining operations during repeated leaves, and what to do when a leave request may not be reasonable. We will also discuss the intersection of such leave with other leaves, such as FMLA, CFRA and PDL. Through case studies and interactive discussion, learn practical tips and strategies for effectively managing leaves as a reasonable accommodation, including how to balance the needs of your school and meet legal obligations. 

2:45 - 3:30pm Q & A and Closing Remarks

Important notes:

• Your registration includes access to the symposium for two people.
• You will receive instructions to login to the Symposium one week prior to the event.
• Registrants will also receive access to the recordings. If you are not able to attend the live event, please register to receive the recording.
• An access code is only needed for LCW Consortium members, not Cal-ISBOA members. This is to ensure both parties receive the "member" price. The code is being sent by LCW to consortium members, check your inbox or reach out to your Consortium Coordinator.

Continuing Education credits (4.5 hours offered):
Each breakout session is intended to be eligible for and is pending approval for SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit.