Statewide Network

Every two years, nearly 40 Georgia attorneys who are well versed in education and employment law come together at the PAGE office in Atlanta. Hailing from all over the state, these attorneys form the robust PAGE Attorney Network.

In a daylong workshop last fall, attorneys were briefed on legal developments in everything from teacher evaluations and mandated reporting of child abuse to employment discrimination. They also reviewed recent cases that have come before the state board of education. In the process, attendees earned continuing legal education credits.

Most importantly, however, PAGE lawyers learned from each other. “Throughout the year, the network attorneys really utilize each other’s expertise. In bringing them together, the workshop further develops those important relationships,” said PAGE General Counsel Jill Hay.

Workshop presenters included Rachel King, chief general counsel for the Georgia Department of Human Services, and Rebecca Mick, the state’s senior assistant attorney general, as well as PAGE staff and network attorneys.

The PAGE in-house legal staff is composed of five full-time attorneys who work closely with the statewide network. Staying abreast of legal developments is crucial because Georgia’s laws, and the interpretation of the laws, continually change in regard to education. “The staff attorneys and network attorneys see different aspects of the law at play,” said PAGE staff attorney Matthew Pence. “We all benefit from sharing what we’re see-

ing and hearing in the practice of education law.”

The PAGE legal department has an outstanding track record in defending Georgia educators, and legal representation is included in membership. The statewide network is an important arm of PAGE legal services. “Attorney network members are highly trained in education law and ethics, and they know their communities well—the education system, the politics and the people,” said Hay. n

Photos by Meg Thornton