The Council of School Attorneys (COSA) is an organization comprised of state and district school lawyers. The council focuses on controlling legal issues that affect school districts and anticipates legal issues before they arise. The organization is governed by an elected 22-member board of directors and is divided into standing and ad hoc committees. Its mission is to represent school districts in legal issues and to serve as the voice of the educational community.
Andrew Manna
Andrew Manna has been named an officer for the Council of School Attorneys. He will serve as secretary for seven years and then chair the board of COSA. Manna has extensive experience in education law and is a member of several organizations, including the American Bar Association, Indiana State Bar Association, the National School Board Association, and the Indianapolis Bar Society. He is an active member of the National School Board Association and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
During the pandemic, Andrew Manna and Michael Keith presented to the Council of School Attorneys, discussing their cases and lessons learned from pop-up sessions. Unfortunately, hate speech is often used as a defense in schools, despite the First Amendment. Courts and public figures alike have recently supported this interpretation of the First Amendment. But what can be done to prevent this? One solution may lie in allowing the First Amendment to be used in school districts.
Jay Worona
In addition to his role as a school attorney, Jay Worona teaches law as an adjunct professor at the State University of New York, Albany. He has been recognized with the Excellence in Part-Time Teaching Award in 2003 and 2014. Worona is admitted to practice before the New York State Bar and the United States District Courts. He has also been appointed by several states to serve as an expert witness on school law cases.
Mr. Worona is a prominent national education attorney. He serves on the National Council of School Attorneys, which represents the interests of school attorneys across the country. He has also won cases in the courts, including a case on the separation of church and state. A renowned litigator, Mr. Worona has been named a Fellow of the New York State Bar Association and a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians.
Tueth Keeney attorneys
Tueth Keeney attorneys understand the unique challenges that public schools face. They offer practical advice while seeking a fair solution to labor and employment issues. Their responsiveness and expertise enable them to provide a comprehensive range of services. They have a demonstrated commitment to public education, and their attorneys regularly represent school districts on labor, special education, and finance issues. They are knowledgeable and experienced in virtually all substantive areas of school law in Illinois.
As the nation’s largest education law firm, Tueth Keeney Cooper Mohan & Jackstadt serves nearly 150 school districts in Illinois and Missouri. The firm has extensive experience in a wide variety of fields and offers timely advice amid complex and time-sensitive matters. The firm also has extensive experience in the field of appellate practice. The firm is widely recognized as an excellent choice for school districts, providing sound legal counsel promptly.
NSBA’s Council of School Attorneys
The National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a non-profit federation of state school board associations. Its members represent almost 15,000 local school districts and 47 million public school students. The Association’s 150-member delegate assembly sets policy. The 25-member board of directors translates policy into action. The executive director oversees the association’s programs. The Council of School Attorneys serves as a forum for legal professionals in the field of public education.
The Council of School Attorneys provides timely and relevant print resources on school law topics. Its publications include Federal Regulations and Resources, Inquiry and Analysis, Legislative Updates, Legal Clips, and other timely resources. The Council also provides members with a large library of school law articles. NSBA also holds webinars and seminars on topics related to school law. A COSA conference in Boston hosts annual seminars on school law topics.