Many issues that teachers, professors, and staff face at schools, colleges, and universities are no different from those other employees encounter. Discrimination, harassment and equal pay complaints happen on campus as well as off.
Tenure and related issues, though, are unique to academia. Legally, there can be a blend of contract law, statutes, and institutional policy in play. It’s a special situation that requires an attorney with both in-depth legal knowledge as well as experience in education systems.
Unique academic issues
At Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, our employment law attorneys have that experience. We’re capable of helping typical employment law problems as well as unique academic issues.
These include denial of tenure, promotion issues, contract disputes, grievances, and policy violations. We can defend education professionals facing charges of misconduct and other disciplinary issues. We can help negotiate intellectual property rights as well as research agreements. We’re also passionate about defending academic freedom, including free speech.
Our employment lawyers represent professors, instructors, and staff at colleges and universities. We work with teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff in public and private schools.
It’s tempting for education professionals to try to handle these issues on their own. If you know you’re innocent and you’re smart enough to supply some proof of that, it seems do-able. Sometimes, that works but just as often the person accused finds him or herself overwhelmed. It’s challenging enough to try to figure out the ins and outs of academic policies and education law. It’s incredibly stressful when your career and reputation are at stake.
We understand what you’re going through. Even if the accusations are at very preliminary stages, it’s important to have help from a legal professional. At Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, our goal is intense involvement from start, so that we can put you in the best possible position to emerge with your career intact.