Join Us for the 2025
California Legal Symposium!

9:00am - 9:15am 

Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:15am - 10:30am 

Avoiding Legal Landmines: How Schools Can Step Safely

Session Description: The legal landscape for California independent schools is constantly shifting, creating new challenges and potential pitfalls for school leaders. This session will address today’s most pressing areas of legal risk — employment practices and leave laws, contracts, off-campus activities, and the expanding role of artificial intelligence. Drawing on recent litigation trends and real-world case studies, we will highlight proactive strategies to anticipate risks, strengthen policies, avoid reputational harm and promote a culture of compliance. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with practical tools to navigate legal challenges with confidence and safeguard their schools for the future, consistent with the school’s mission and values.

Presenters: Monica Espejo & Brian Walter

11:45am - 12:45pm

Lunch

12:45pm - 2:00pm

Think You're Covered? Common Wage & Hour Pitfalls for California Private Schools

Session Description: California Independent schools must navigate an increasingly complex wage and hour landscape, balancing compliance with the realities of school operations. This session will cover key risk areas — including misclassification of employees, meal and rest breaks, expense reimbursements, overnight trips, and other issues related to the payment of wages. Participants will leave with practical strategies to strengthen compliance practices, reduce exposure to claims, and better protect their schools against wage and hour liability.

Presenters: Elizabeth Arce & Stacy Velloff

Elizabeth Tom Arce, Partner

Liz is an accomplished advocate with extensive experience litigating labor and employment cases in state and federal courts, as well as arbitration and administrative proceedings. She has successfully defended employers in single-plaintiff lawsuits, wage and hour class and collective actions, and obtained favorable results through summary judgment, defeating class certification, and decertifying actions. In addition to litigation, Liz advises employers on wage and hour compliance, disability accommodations, public safety, employee discipline, retirements, and anti-discrimination laws. A dynamic trainer and frequent speaker, she shares practical insights to help employers prevent liability. Liz also co-authors the California Public Sector Employment Law guide.

Michael Blacher, Partner

Michael Blacher is a partner and Chair of the firm’s Private Education Practice Group. His practice is solely focused on representing California private schools. He brings passion and creativity to the practice of law and works collaboratively with clients to solve their most challenging and important issues. His approach is proactive and thoughtful. Michael works with schools on virtually every aspect of education law. He frequently advises boards on governance issues and administrators on employment and student matters.

Grace Chan, Partner

Grace specializes in education and employment law, risk management, and nonprofit governance, representing independent schools and nonprofits. She advises boards, school leaders, and HR professionals on mitigating risk and aligning operations with their mission. Her expertise includes employment agreements, policies, harassment claims, wage compliance, and employee discipline. She also counsels schools on student and parent issues, including enrollment, misconduct, privacy, and DEI considerations. Additionally, Grace provides guidance on nonprofit governance, fiduciary duties, conflicts of interest, and governance documents. She helps clients develop best practices while navigating complex legal landscapes.

Hannah Dodge, Associate

Hannah Dodge is an Associate in LCW’s San Francisco office, where she advises independent schools and non-profits on labor, employment, governance, and education matters. She assists clients with drafting and revising employment, enrollment, and Head of School contracts; advising on employee and student discipline, misconduct investigations, leaves, and accommodations. Hannah also counsels non-profits on governance and business issues, including negotiating third-party contracts. She authors LCW’s monthly Private Education Matters newsletter. In addition, Hannah conducts workplace investigations into sensitive allegations, including workplace violence, mass shootings, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, providing clients with practical guidance in high-stakes, complex situations.

Monica M. Espejo, Senior Counsel

Monica is based in LCW’s Sacramento office, where she represents private and public educational institutions as well as public sector clients in labor, employment, and education matters. She advises independent schools on employee and student discipline, investigations, terminations, contract disputes, and leave and accommodation issues, and regularly defends public agencies against harassment, discrimination, and retaliation claims. Monica’s litigation background spans all phases from pleadings through trial, which she draws upon to help clients avoid disputes. As a member of LCW’s investigations practice group, she also serves as an impartial investigator, conducting thorough, unbiased, and legally compliant workplace investigations.

Julie L. Strom, Senior Counsel

Julie L. Strom, based in Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s Los Angeles office, advises clients on education, employment, and labor law. She works closely with private schools on enrollment agreements, contracts, governance, investigations, tuition disputes, handbooks, discipline, mandated reporting, and terminations. Julie also conducts employment-related investigations for private, nonprofit, and public organizations. Additionally, she provides training on mandatory reporting, harassment, and employee evaluations.

Stacy L. Velloff, Senior Counsel

Brian P. Walter, Partner

Brian Walter represents clients in all aspects of employment and labor law, including litigation, counseling on employment and labor relations matters, training and presentations, employee discipline matters, administrative hearings, and investigations. Brian has handled class actions and collective actions in federal and state courts and is Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Brian has extensive experience handling FLSA issues and representing law enforcement agencies, including successfully defending employee discipline matters for sworn and civilian law enforcement personnel.

Continuing Education credits (5.25 hours offered):

Each breakout session is intended to be eligible for and is pending approval for SHRM and HRCI continuing education credit. Participating attorneys are eligible for 5.25 hours of MCLE credit.

Cal-ISBOA and LCW are approved by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM Certification Program. In addition, HR Certification Institute’s® (www.HRCI.org) official seal confirms that Cal-ISBOA and LCW meet the criteria for pre-approved recertification credit(s) for any of HRCI’s eight credentials.