Legal Insights

On September 27, 2010, the Commonwealth Court announced its decision in a case brought by a group of School Directors who were removed from the North Schuylkill School District Board…

A “private transfer fee covenant” (sometimes called a “reconveyance fee” or a “capital recovery fee”) refers to a covenant attached to real property that requires a fee to be paid…

Since the new Right-to-Know Law (RTKL) took effect on January 1, 2009, as of June 22, 2009, the State Office of Open Records (OOR) has rendered over 250 final determinations, 31…

As school officials well know, there are multiple venues for employees, parents or students to file complaints concerning issues related to education or school employment, including the Pennsylvania Human Relations…

The end of the school year may mark the expiration of some collective bargaining agreements (CBA) or the commencement of formal negotiations for others.  If negotiations fail to result in…

Much has been reported of the lowering of inhibitions in the computer information age.  In the context of litigation and public dialogue on issues, caution should be exercised in communications…

At the end of its 2008-2009 term, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case which implicates the constitutional rights of students with regard to searches and may impact the way…

Often school officials must determine whether a statement or writing is a threat, and if so, what punishment is appropriate. Commonwealth Court will soon consider the difficult determination of whether…

It is not unusual for School Districts to find themselves at an impasse in contract negotiations.  In today’s economic climate, Districts strive to hold the line on the ever escalating…

The dismissal of two recent federal cases filed in the Western District Court of Pennsylvania involving allegations of sexual abuse by school employees underscores the need for appropriate school district…

The Pennsylvania legislature recently adopted a measure which permits employers, including school districts, to expand the health insurance coverage available to employees’ children.  Act 4 of 2009, signed into law…

On March 30, 2010, the Pennsylvania Department of Health issued its “Guidelines for Pennsylvania Schools for the Administration of Medications and Emergency Care.”  These Guidelines contain the Department’s interpretation of…

The Pittsburgh law firm of Maiello Brungo & Maiello was unanimously appointed Solicitor for the Allegheny County North Tax Collection Committee (TCC).   Lawrence J. Maiello, Michael L. Brungo and Falco…

Email is the fastest and least expensive means of communication but also the one that creates a large threat to a business.  Employers have legitimate concerns regarding employee use of…

As if keeping a project on budget and on time is not enough, more and more in today’s economic climate the proverbial monkey wrench of bankruptcy is being thrown into…