Our Approach
We’re small and nimble, with a straightforward and personable approach. The lawyers at O’Donnell Stacey LLC have decades of experience practicing in the area of school law, and engage with the full spectrum of issues facing charter schools, public schools in general, private schools, and the world surrounding them. We are familiar with the day-to-day experiences of board members and administrators, and are versed in the long-term institutional issues that drive school success.
We not only handle school operations and governance matters, but also advise our clients in navigating the challenges associated with growth: charter renewal, employment matters, accreditation, contracts, construction activities, and zoning, to name a few.
O’Donnell Stacey LLC equals value. The firm handles matters thoroughly and efficiently, without the price tag of a large or mid-size firm’s services.
Our Experience
While our experience broadly encompasses school law generally, historically our core focus is the representation of charter schools in Pennsylvania. Lawyers at the firm have represented over one hundred charter schools from application through to appeal to revocation.
While we aim in every case to secure the best deal for our client and avoid the courtroom, we do not shy away from litigation. We are not only aware of, but often directly involved in, the changes in the local charter school law landscape. Our firm has been counsel of record in several landmark cases for Pennsylvania charter schools, and has been successful in getting justice for our clients on a range of issues including ensuring proper charter school funding, lifting enrollment caps, eliminating district-imposed charter conditions, and even going so far as to hold the former School Reform Commission of the School District of Philadelphia accountable for violating the Pennsylvania Constitution.
We can advocate for you no matter where your issue comes up.
We are often called upon to assist our clients in a number of different legal venues. We regularly advocate for clients in the courtroom, but also before administrative bodies such as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the State Charter School Appeal Board, the Philadelphia Board of Revision of Taxes, the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.