Practice Areas

Employee-Employer Disputes

School and Education Law: Weatherford Thompson represents the Greater Albany Public School District and several smaller schools across the State of Oregon. We are available to confer as needed with school administrators, parents, and employees on various legal issues. We are well-qualified to answer questions relating to a wide variety of areas - such as employment matters, election law issues, open meetings and records, use of school premises by outside groups, purchasing and contracting, school policy development, and citizen complaints. One of the characteristics of the firm's education attorneys is their ability to provide clients with a full range of up-to-date legal advice in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Because of the depth of our expertise, our education attorneys can often provide needed advice without spending extensive time on costly legal research. Our aim is to create a program within each district that looks at preventing losses, claims, or disputes before they cost the district time and money. Occasionally, a brief telephone conversation will save an education client significant educational dollars in future loses, damages, or litigation fees. Our attorneys pride themselves on always being available when our clients need us.

Employer-Employee Matters

• 401(k) and profit sharing plans.
• Advice regarding discipline and dismissal of employees.
• Creation, non-renewals, and termination of employee contracts.
• Assistance with plans of assistance for employees.
• Guiding employers and employees under FMLA/OFLA, unemployment compensation appeals, hourly wage and overtime policies.
• Advising employers and employees regarding ADA, reasonable accommodation requests, sexual harassment, labor complaints, and whistle-blower laws.
• Representation in administrative hearings and arbitration proceedings including Employment Relations Board, Fair Dismissal Appeals Board, and labor hearings.
• Representation in other court including circuit courts, federal district court, and appellate courts for employee tort claims and contract disputes.

Student Matters

• Advice regarding student rights and disciplinary procedures including privacy rights, constitutional rights including speech and dress codes, and search and seizure.
• Representation for student disciplinary hearings or appeals including appeals and administrative hearings.
• Guidance regarding parent/custodial issues as the relate to school district fiduciary obligations.
• Navigating the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
• Experience in resolving disputes between school districts and parents of disabled students under both IDEA and Section 50.

Other Matters

• Advice on public contracting law.
• Advice regarding hiring, evaluating, and continuance of employment of chief executive officers and negotiation of individual employee contracts.
• Real estate matters including construction, architect, contractor, and construction matters.
• Tort claim and liability legal defense on behalf of school districts.
• Advise concerning election law including campaign laws, financial disclosure, ballot measures, and school board elections.
• Assisting districts in the disposal of surplus real and personal property. Working with Cities and Counties to use existing zoning ordinances and state land use laws to ensure the availability of additional land for school use.
• Advice regarding Public Meetings and Public Records issues.
• Avoiding litigation by increasing client awareness through risk assessment and prevention advice.
• Guiding school funding and finance issues through tax and assessment statutes available under state law.