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Education Law

With over 30 years of experience in the law of higher education, Burgess, Mills & Ring serves as outside general counsel to several Bay Area educational institutions. 

University administrators need lawyers who already understand the functioning academic environment. Given our experience in the field, we are completely comfortable with the contracts, relationships and regulatory environment that bind an educational institution together.  

At Burgess, Mills & Ring we routinely advise university administrators on policies, decisions and disputes, and laws uniquely affecting educational institutions. These areas include:

• Development of institution policies, including Employee, Faculty and Student Handbooks

• Severance and separation agreements

• University governance

• Admissions policies and practices

• Financial aid and scholarships

• Third-party vendor and multi-institution contracts

• CEFA Bonds

• Technology and software licensing agreements

• Insurance policies

• Commercial leases

Our attorneys have represented universities in all aspects of litigation including:

• Investigations of employment and student claims

• Sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits

• Negligent hiring and supervision

• Breach of contract

• Premises liability

• Embezzlement and fraud

• Real estate disputes

• Unfair business practices claims

• Trusts and estates litigation

• Third party discovery

Significant litigation victories include:

Banks v. Dominican College (1995) 35 Cal.App.4th 1545, 42 Cal.Rptr.2d 110 (dismissal of student’s claim for wrongful denial of degree, successfully defended on appeal)

Rosenberg v. Golden Gate (dismissal of student claim)

Keen v. Golden Gate (successful defense of commercial tenant’s effort to terminate lease)

Golden Gate v. McCann (restitution of funds stolen by embezzler)

"In the Matter of Dominican College of San Rafael, Employer, and Faculty Senate of Dominican College, Petitioner," NLRB Proceeding (Successful defense of petition to form collective bargaining unit of managerial faculty)

Settlements reinstating decedents’ entire estates to the universities, reversing trust amendments brought through elder abuse and undue influence.