2024 School Administrators' Conference
2024-10-09 08:00 - 15:00 UTC
Join us as we partner with the Large Unit District Association (LUDA) to present this year’s School Administrators’ Conference on October 9, 2024.

Location: Hotel Arista, 2139 City Gate Ln, Naperville, IL 60563

In-person sessions will be held at Hotel Arista in Naperville with the conference breakfast beginning at 8 a.m., and the General Session beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Virtual option is available.

Topics Include:

Walking a Thin Line: Employee & Student Speech Rights On and Off Campus

Responding to Employee Leave and Accommodation Requests in the Evolving Modern Workplace

Anxiety and School Refusal: Collaboratively Constructing the Path Back to School

Understanding Construction Litigation and Planning for Success

Employment Rules for Schools: 10 Legislative Updates for HR Professionals

Mastering the Complex World of Public Bidding

Complex Parent Demands: Best Practices and Legal Pitfalls When Responding to Difficult Requests

Lessons Learned from Title IX Litigation

Labor and Union Issues Affecting School Construction Projects

Protecting Your Tax Disputes and Protecting Your Tax Base

Register Here

View Conference Program Booklet

2025 Purchasing & Construction Virtual Conference
2025-02-25 08:30 - 12:00 UTC
Register Now for Our Annual Purchasing & Construction Virtual Conference on February 25, 2025.

Location: Zoom

Register Here

Download the Conference Program

Download the Conference Materials

Topics and Descriptions are Below:

Making Purchasing and Procurement Easier: Essential Bidding Strategies and Leveraging the Recent Amendment to the Governmental Joint Purchasing Act

8:30 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

This presentation will focus on purchasing and procurement requirements for Illinois local governments—from school districts and community colleges to park districts and municipalities. Our attorneys will walk through compliance requirements and strategies for purchasing and procurement through common exemptions and newly enacted amendments to the Illinois Governmental Joint Purchasing Act that provide public bodies with greater flexibility when relying on cooperative purchases through other government agencies.

Mitigate Risks: Best Practices for Effective Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Public Contracts and Construction

9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Join Robbins Schwartz construction and transactional attorneys to discuss the importance of mitigating risk and properly insuring public entities in connection with common transactions including construction projects, facility use agreements, leases, and software purchases involving personally protected information. The presentation will address various types of insurance for applicable transactions, contract terms that protect public bodies, and the Tort Immunity Act that public entities can rely on to mitigate risk.

Construction Pitfalls: Key Considerations for Public Bodies to Avoid Problems on a Construction Project

10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Public construction is complex. The parties involved often have overlapping responsibilities, tasks, schedules and liabilities. Moreover, the risks can be just as complex, ranging from unknown conditions at the project site and weather to supply chain issues and pandemics. In this presentation, Robbins Schwartz’s construction lawyers will discuss common construction project problems and how to avoid them.

Read (or Write) the Fine Print! Negotiating Contracts for Public Entities

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Every transaction comes with terms and conditions. Those terms and conditions are agreed upon by the parties to a transaction but not always reduced to writing or properly reviewed. From complex construction contracts and real estate agreements, to purchase orders and website privacy policies, public bodies need to be aware of contract terms that could significantly impact its ability to benefit from any bargain. This presentation will identify key terms to consider, as well as strategies to negotiating the same.

Register Now: ISBE Approved Professional Development Leadership Training
2025-05-05 18:00 - 2025-05-10 13:00 UTC
Robbins Schwartz attorneys are approved by ISBE to conduct School Board Member Training.

Join us for our complimentary professional development leadership training (PDLT) designed to provide newly elected school board members with the necessary requirements to meet mandatory PDLT, including trauma-informed practices for students and staff; Improving student outcomes; Open Meetings Act (OMA); and Performance Evaluation Reform Act (PERA).

Training will be offered in two formats:

Two-Part Series

Part 1: Monday, May 5, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Part 2: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Register for the Two-Part Series Here

Full-Day Session

Saturday, May 10, 2025 from 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Register for the Full-Day Session Here

Register Now: Community College Trustee Training
2025-06-14 08:30 - 13:00 UTC
Robbins Schwartz attorneys are approved by ICCB to conduct professional development leadership training for community college trustees.

Join us Join us for our complimentary Community Colle Trustee Training.

Topics will include:

The Open Meetings Act: FAQs and Answers

The Role of the Board of Trustees in Preventing and Addressing Sexual Violence on Campus

Collective Bargaining Overview and Tips for Negotiations

Fiduciary Responsibilities of a Community College Trustee

General Compliance Guidance: Illinois Freedom of Information Act

Financial Oversight and Accountability

Register Here

Register Now: 2025 Legal Update for Illinois Higher Education Institutions
2025-09-17 08:30 - 13:45 (America/Chicago)
Registration is now open for our 2025 Legal Update for Illinois Higher Education Institutions.

Where: Zoom

Register Here

Download the Conference Booklet Here

Topics of discussion include:

The Big Shift: Legal Impacts on Federal Reform Initiatives

Since February 2025, higher education institutions have experienced seismic shifts in federal education policy. Through executive orders, new federal guidance, OCR investigations, Supreme Court decisions, and the recent passage of The Big Beautiful Bill, the legal and policy changes seem to occur almost daily, leaving higher education institutions scrambling to remain in compliance with the current application of applicable law. This presentation will explore the legal ramifications of the recent shifts in federal education policy and provide practical tips for colleges to remain in compliance with federal law. The presentation will also address potential flashpoints where the changed application of federal law may clash with current Illinois law.

From Capitol to Campus: New Illinois Laws Impacting Higher Education

This presentation will cover state legislation affecting community colleges, focusing on bills passed and signed this year. Attendees will learn about new requirements related to a range of topics from medication access for students, to using AI in the classroom, to dual credit and direct admission programs.

Responding Right: Effective Strategies for Student Harassment and Discrimination Complaints Amid the Current Legal Climate

Recent shifts in the enforcement of civil rights laws in higher education have educational institutions wrestling with how to navigate harassment and discrimination complaints. This presentation will provide practical guidance on aligning institutional policies and procedures with current federal and state legal standards, including Title IX, Title VI, and related anti-discrimination statutes. Presenters will also discuss recent changes to the federal legal framework and its intersection with state law, trends in OCR and other agency enforcement, and strategies for risk management that promote a safe and equitable campus environment.

The New Wave: Emerging Trends in Collective Bargaining

This presentation will explore how shifting economic landscapes, technological advancements, and evolving worker expectations are reshaping labor negotiations. We will also review bargaining strategies and dynamics at the table.

Construction Case Study Part 1: Laying the Foundation – Strategic Planning, Risk Management, and Legal Readiness Before Breaking Ground

Our Commercial, Construction, and Real Estate Practice Group will present the first part of a case study on effective planning, risk management, and compliance with respect to major college construction projects. The first part of the case study will focus on the initial phases of construction—from selecting your construction team and construction delivery system to best practices in competitive bidding, risk management, and other pre-construction responsibilities. The first part of the case study will conclude with ensuring that the most important legal considerations for a shovel ready project have been addressed.

Construction Case Study Part 2: Building Beyond the Blueprint – Oversight, Dispute Management, and Legal Remedies Through Project Completion

Our Commercial, Construction, and Real Estate Practice Group will conclude their case study by addressing issues that arise after construction starts. This includes the college’s role in construction administration, how to handle disputes during construction, and when to issue warnings and takeover projects. The case study will conclude with an overview of how to leverage formal dispute resolution to successfully pursue remedies for construction defaults and defects.

Balancing Support and Liability: Navigating Student Mental Health on Campus

Higher education institutions nationwide are seeing a rise in college students experiencing anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. In turn, institutions are faced with a multitude of challenges including allocating sufficient mental health resources, adopting procedures that adequately protect student safety, and ensuring faculty and staff are trained to respond to students in crisis. This presentation will explore the legal and practical complexities faced by higher education institutions in addressing student mental health on campus, by providing an overview of the legal landscape, analysis of relevant case law, and practical tips for supporting student safety on campus.

Your Litigation Playbook: Key Steps & Expectations Uncovered

This presentation will walk you through the key phases of a lawsuit from start to finish. Attendees will learn the distinctions between a civil lawsuit and an administrative charge, understand the critical steps to take after a complaint is received, and become familiar with the phases of litigation including discovery, settlement discussions, dispositive motions, and trial.

Register Now: 2025 School Administrators’ Conference
2025-10-08 08:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Join us as we partner with the Large Unit District Association (LUDA) to present this year’s School Administrators’ Conference on October 8, 2025.

Where: Hotel Arista, 2139 City Gate Ln, Naperville, IL 60563

In-person sessions will be held at Hotel Arista in Naperville with the conference breakfast beginning at 8 a.m., and the General Session beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Virtual option is available.

Register Here

Download the Conference Booklet Here

Topics Include:

An Uncertain Future: Continued Shifts in the Interpretation and Enforcement of Federal Laws

The Laws, They Are a-Changin’: Updates for the School HR Office

From Classroom to Courtroom: Lessons from Recent Disability Discrimination Cases

Construction Case Study Part 1: Laying the Foundation – Strategic Planning, Risk Management, and Legal Readiness Before Breaking Ground

Teacher Evaluation Process: Refresher on Legal Requirements and Best Practices to Ensure Compliance

Construction Case Study Part 2: Building Beyond the Blueprint – Oversight, Dispute Management, and Legal Remedies Through Project Completion

Tricky Parent Scenarios, Student Surprises, and the Unexpected: How to Handle Questions and Concerns Arising in Student Matters

Striking the Balance: Fair and Effective Employee Discipline

Navigating Nuance: Supporting Confidentiality in Sensitive Situations

Looking Ahead: Protecting School Revenue in a Shifting Property Tax Landscape

Register Now: 2026 Purchasing & Construction Virtual Conference
2026-04-23 09:00 - 11:45 UTC
Registration is now open for our Annual Purchasing & Construction Virtual Conference on April 23, 2026.

Location: Zoom

Register Here

Download the Conference Program

This year’s conference topics, descriptions and presenters are below:

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Bid Challenges: How to Avoid Them and How to Successfully Resolve Them if They Arise

While infrequent, bid challenges can pose significant problems for public bodies. Oftentimes a bid challenge may just be an aggressive letter from an unsuccessful bidder, but bigger problems can ensue if the challenger brings the dispute to a board meeting, or worse, files litigation that can lead to project delays. Join our presenters to discuss the legal requirements for bidding, how public bodies can prepare bid packages to prevent bid challenges, and what rights public bodies have when a bid challenge arises.

Presented by:

Kenneth M. Florey

Howard A. Metz

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Creative Contracting: Using Intergovernmental Agreements, Cooperative Purchasing, Public-Private Partnerships, and Other Strategies to Meet Your Purchasing and Operational Needs

A practical discussion with Robbins Schwartz’s commercial transaction lawyers on innovative procurement and service-delivery tools. Topics include structuring intergovernmental agreements, cooperative purchasing consortia, public-private partnerships, and alternative contracting strategies highlighting legal considerations, risk allocation, compliance, and general best-practices to protect public interests.

Presented by:

Matthew J. Gardner

Katie N. DiPiero

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Key Considerations in Choosing Your Construction Team and Other Strategies for Public Project Owners

When planning a construction project, one of the most important decisions that an owner will make is how to structure the project and the construction professionals that it selects to perform the design and construction. Join our construction lawyers for a discussion on primary construction planning issues such as choosing the right construction delivery method and strategies for selecting the right construction team for your project.

Presented by:

Matthew J. Gardner

Danielle B. McNamara

2026 School Administrators' Conference
2026-10-14 08:30 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Save the date for our annual School Administrators’ Conference

Where: Hotel Arista, 2139 City Gate Ln, Naperville, IL 60563 and Zoom

Robbins Schwartz is proud to partner with the Large Unit District Association (LUDA) to present a full-day pre-conference event, offering practical legal insights and strategies to help districts navigate the evolving landscape of education.

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