New Consulting Group to Advise Schools on Liability Issues

Advanced Educational Solutions to provide expertise on issues ranging from Internet misuse to campus security

PORTLAND, Maine - An educational consulting group launched recently by four attorneys with backgrounds in education is providing a new service to educational institutions in New England and throughout the U.S. on a myriad of liability issues, from Internet misuse to Title IX compliance.

The group, called Advanced Educational Solutions, will offer guidance and assist colleges, universities and public and private schools in reviewing and developing legally sound policies that are responsive to current educational theories and practices.

The range of topics covered includes: Affirmative Action and Admissions; Sexual or Racial Harassment; School Violence and Campus Safety; Internet Use; Student Privacy; and Accommodation of Students with Disabilities. The group also is qualified to evaluate an institution's athletic program for gender equity and Title IX compliance, as well as new facility construction.

The services provided by Advanced Educational Solutions are grounded in legal expertise, but extend beyond traditional legal services, the consultants said.

"Our goal is to work closely with administrators to create solutions that can be easily implemented and readily followed," said Patricia A. Peard, a prominent education, employment and civil rights attorney in Maine. "We also plan to see them through change and compliance, to make sure everyone involved fully understands the new or revised policies or strategy changes we recommend."

Two of the consultants presented the seminar "Untangling the Web: Adjudicating Student Misuse of the Internet" at the Association for Student Judicial Affairs (ASJA) national conference in Clearwater Beach, Florida.

"Our seminar shows school administrators how to properly investigate a complaint of on-line harassment or stalking, and how to gather proof of hacking or spamming. We also cover what kind of privacy issues administrators need to watch for and when it is advisable to call in outside law enforcement," said Jennifer D. Sawyer, a presenter at the ASJA conference.

Last fall, another consultant, Joan M. Fortin, worked closely with Student Affairs administrators at Salem State College in Massachusetts to develop training programs for both senior administrators and student employees regarding how best to handle negligence issues that may arise in residence halls.

Each member of Advanced Educational Solutions, headquartered in Portland, Maine, has a strong background in law and in education, a combination that is unique in educational consulting across the nation.

Patricia A. Peard, a resident of Falmouth, taught at Phillips Exeter Academy for 10 years, holds a master's in European history from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. Peard currently represents Waynflete School and Hebron Academy, and serves as outside counsel for the University of Maine System.

Michael B. Rosen, a resident of Wellesley, Mass., has since 1980 served as the Associate General Counsel at Boston University, where he also has been an adjunct professor in the Law School and the School of Education. Prior to working at Boston University, Rosen was Chief Legal Counsel to the New York City public school system for more than eight years. He holds a master's in philosophy from the University of Michigan and a law degree from New York University.

Joan M. Fortin, a resident of Portland, holds a master's in education and a law degree from the Northeastern University School of Law. She has worked in Student Affairs at the University of Maine and Bowdoin College.

Jennifer D. Sawyer, a resident of Portsmouth, N.H., holds a master's in higher education administration from Northeastern University and a law degree from the Boston University School of Law. Sawyer worked in Residential Life and Judicial Affairs at Northeastern University and at the University of New Hampshire, and served as a Law Clerk at the Boston University Office of the General Counsel and at the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Mary DeLano, a resident of Cape Elizabeth, earned her law degree from Georgetown University, where she served as a teaching fellow. DeLano has a background in tenure and employment issues and specializes in construction law.

A division of the Portland law firm of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, one of northern New England's largest firms, Advanced Educational Solutions can be reached at (207) 774-1200 or by visiting http://www.adv-ed-solutions.com.

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