What we do for our Education clients We have long-standing relationships with some of Alberta’s largest public school boards and post-secondary institutions, many of whom have worked with us for decades. Clients rely on us to provide sound, pragmatic advice on a broad range of issues relating to education in our province. We know the relevant legislation and use that knowledge to guide clients through a multitude of challenges. From school closures to contractual negotiations, real estate purchases to academic misconduct, and student privacy to educational liability, we offer practical advice and strategic solutions. Our post-secondary clients look to us for guidance on institutional governance, labour relations issues, tuition structuring, upholding academic freedom and research integrity, and ensuring public transparency in their operations. Increasingly, they also turn to us for assistance with protecting, advancing and commercializing intellectual property (IP) that emanates from their research activities. We assist our school board clients with navigating complex board governance and compliance issues, including trust and endowment obligations and CRA charitable requirements. In recent years, we have helped school boards develop and implement policies that focus on investments, protecting students’ rights and student privacy. Our experience with public-private partnerships, real estate transactions, construction projects and commercial agreements are just some of the reasons school boards choose to work with us. We are also adept at assisting clients with reputation management and defamation issues. When contentious situations arise, our skilled litigators fight to protect our clients’ interests and ensure they can focus on the business of learning. How we work with our clients We work closely with our clients, building long-term relationships based on trust, responsiveness and results. We respect our clients’ time and resources, acting quickly to address issues as they arise and provide strategic, preemptive advice that can prevent or mitigate challenges from the start. Our clients often call on us to provide day-to-day counsel on operational or commercial issues, and we have attended senior management and board meetings where necessary. Our Education professionals also work closely with others throughout Parlee McLaws to pull in expertise as required. This gives us the ability to assist clients with a broad range of legal concerns, resolving issues quickly and efficiently.