School Board Attorney

The School District of Lee County is currently seeking a School Board Attorney in Fort Myers, FL.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Florida and a member in good standing with the Florida Bar.
• Admitted or eligible for admission to the bar of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
• Any appropriate combination of relevant education, experience, and/or certifications may be considered.

• Experience practicing law in a K-12 public school district
• Experience in education law, employment/labor law, public finance, real estate, and/or construction law related to education.
• Florida Bar Board Certification in Education Law or eligible for certification.

• Knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations governing K-12 public education and the statutory roles of an elected School Board and an elected Superintendent.
• Knowledge of the Sunshine laws.
• Knowledge of Florida Statutes, Rules of Court, Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules of Appellate Procedures, Rules of Judicial Administration, Administrative Code, Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) proceedings, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) proceedings, and Federal Judicial Procedures and Rules.
• Knowledge of school law, labor law, general law, administrative law, and established precedents and sources of legal reference.
• Knowledge of court procedures and rules of evidence.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to organize, prioritize, manage, and carry out duties efficiently and within established deadlines.
• Ability to represent the School Board in complex litigation, administrative proceedings, and arbitrations.
• Ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build consensus among diverse stakeholders, including influencing others toward a common goal.
• Ability to think critically and creatively, have a high standard of integrity, and be motivated to incorporate best practices into the organizational structure.
• Ability to take initiative to plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work in various situations when numerous and diverse demands are involved.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of independent judgement in conducting legal research, interpreting and applying laws, and preparing legal documents.
• Ability to maintain discretion with sensitive, confidential, and high stakes matters.
• Ability to prepare cases and present material clearly and logically in both verbal and written form.

Typical duties include but are not limited to:

• Serve as the primary legal counsel to the School Board, advising the Board as a collective governing body on all matters of law, policy, and governance.
• Collaborate with the Chief Staff Attorney to ensure a seamless provision of legal services to the district.
• Provide legal interpretation of federal and state laws, administrative rules, regulations, case law, and local policies impacting Board actions.
• Advise the Board on governance best practices, Board authority, fiduciary duties, ethical obligations, and compliance with open government laws.
• Develop and implement strategies to mitigate legal exposure for the district, in partnership with district staff.
• Attend School Board meetings, workshops, hearings, and special sessions to provide real-time legal guidance.
• Draft, review, and provide legal input on Board policies, resolutions, contracts, interlocal agreements, and governance documents as requested by the School Board.
• Represent, the School Board in legal proceedings, including hearings, administrative reviews, arbitrations, mediations, and other proceedings.
• Secure and coordinate with external legal counsel on litigation and other legal matters, in partnership with the Chief Staff Attorney.
• Advise the Board on ethics laws, conflict-of-interest requirements, and standards of conduct for elected officials.
• Ensure compliance with Sunshine/Open Meetings laws, public records laws, and other transparency requirements.
• Se…