Client Alerts | Barton Gilman

U.S. Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Continue Dismantling the Federal Department of Education

July 24, 2025 by Paul O’Neill, Matt Plain and Patrcia Hennessy

What Happened About 4,100 employees carry out the functions of the United States Department of Education; the Trump administration wants to cut that number in half. In March, the President issued an Executive Order calling for the closure of the Education Department….

U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Tougher Standard for Proving Discrimination Claims by Students with Disabilities

June 27, 2025 by Paul O'Neill and Patricia Hennessy

The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down an important special education ruling that had the potential to substantially change the ability of parents to bring discrimination claims against schools. Please see the outline below. Case Name: A.J.T. v. Osseo Area…

Collections – Foreclosures and Connecticut’s Notice of Coerced Debt

February 14, 2025 by Vincent J. Averaimo

Effective January 1, 2025, a new law has passed in the State of Connecticut that affects collections and can potentially affect foreclosure actions in Connecticut. The State of Connecticut Judicial Branch has created and made available a Notice of Coerced…

Client Alert: Federal District Court Strikes Down 2024 Amendments to Title IX

January 10, 2025 by Tim Groves and Matt Plain

Yesterday, in a sweeping order that purports to reach far beyond the five states that filed the underlying lawsuit (Tennessee vs. Cardona), a federal district court in Kentucky struck down the 2024 Amendments to Title IX. It was widely anticipated…

Client Alert: U.S. Department of Education Releases Updated Title IX Regulations

April 24, 2024 by Matthew Plain and Tim Groves

Better late than never? You be the judge, but late last week the United States Department of Education (USDOE) finally released the updated Title IX regulations that have been in the works since the USDOE began its review process back…

Have You Heard of FinCEN BOI?

March 8, 2024 by Vincent J. Averaimo and Paul Lewis Otzel

The Corporate Transparency Act requires the disclosure of corporate ownership with the goal of preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism. This Act passed in 2021. This Effects LLC.s, Corporations and Other Businesses of All Sizes Most U.S. corporations,…

Client Alert: NLRA Joint Employer Standard Broadened

November 2, 2023 by Matthew Plain and Tim Groves

On October 27, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board’s (“NLRB”) published a final rule broadening the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA” or “Act”) standard for when two entities that conduct business together will be considered “joint employers.” This new rule…

Remote Public Meetings and Other COVID-19 Measures Extended in MA until March 31, 2025

April 10, 2023 by Matthew R. Plain and Timothy J. Groves

On Thursday, March 23, Governor Healey signed into law a provision that extends the ability of public bodies to continue meeting remotely until March 31, 2025. The law, Amendment H.3548, was previously set to expire on March 31 of this…

Requirements and Considerations for School Leaders During Ramadan

March 28, 2023 by Patricia A. Hennessy and Adam A. Attia

Ramadan began at sunset on March 22, 2023, and is expected to last through April 21, 2023. Many Muslim students and teachers attend or work in schools throughout Pennsylvania and will be observing religious fasting from dawn to sunset. With…

U.S. Supreme Court Finds School Districts Can Be Sued for Damages Even When IDEA Administrative Process Has Not Been Exhausted

March 27, 2023 by Christopher A. Barrett

Introduction On March 21, 2023, the United States Supreme Court issued its written unanimous, 9-0 opinion, in the case of Perez vs. Sturgis Public Schools, et al. At issue in the case was whether students and parents were required to…

Grant Funding Available for Dual Credit Programs in Pennsylvania

February 22, 2023 by Patricia A. Hennessy and Adam Alaa Attia

The Shapiro Administration announced that it will be making $6.5 million of grants available to support dual credit programs in Pennsylvania. With the passage of Senate Bill 237, brick-and-mortar charter schools and cyber charter schools are now required to participate…

FHA Enhances COVID-19 Loss Mitigation Programs

February 17, 2023 by Vincent J. Averaimo

On January 30, 2023, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced that it would be “expanding and enhancing” its loss mitigation options that were developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. For our clients servicing FHA loans, the enhancement allows it to use…

PA School Funding System is Unconstitutional: What Happens Next?

February 8, 2023 by Patricia A. Hennessy and Adam Alaa Attia

Yesterday, in a landmark decision, the Commonwealth Court determined that the system for school funding in Pennsylvania based on the value of taxable property is unconstitutional. The Court determined that education is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Constitution…

Personal Guaranty in a Commercial Loan Follows the Note

July 28, 2022 by Vincent J. Averaimo

In most commercial loans, the corporate entity is the borrower, but the members or shareholders of that corporate borrower are required to guaranty the loan by signing a Personal Guaranty. In the lending industry, Promissory Notes are often endorsed to…

3 Changes to Reporting and Collection of Medical Debt

May 16, 2022 by Vincent J. Averaimo

Starting on July 1, 2022, the three nationwide credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion have agreed to three changes in how medical collection accounts are reported. The three credit reporting agencies will no longer include paid medical collection debt…

MA Seeks to Protect Tenants from Foreclosure

May 2, 2022 by Vincent J. Averaimo

A House and corresponding Senate bill aimed to protect tenants who occupy a foreclosed property from eviction has had favorable responses and has strong potential to become law in MA. H. 1483 and S. 1047, “An Act preventing unnecessary vacancies…

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Ending Certain COVID-19 Regulatory Waivers for Skilled Nursing Facilities

April 27, 2022 by Sheri L. Pizzi and Greg Vanden-Eykel

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued Memorandum QSO-22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC (Memorandum) announcing that certain staffing, treatment, and life safety regulatory waivers applicable to skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and in effect during the COVID-19 state…

New Jersey Extends Statute of Limitations for Special Education Compensatory Education Related to COVID-19

April 5, 2022 by Christopher A. Barrett

On March 3, 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law legislation that extends the statute of limitations for filing a due process petition regarding the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of a child with a disability, or the…

Education Alert: Open Meetings Act

March 29, 2022 by Matthew R. Plain and Michaela Bland

On February 24, 2022, the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General completed an investigation into an Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) complaint filed against the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education (“Council”) and issued a decision finding the Council violated…

EEOC Issues Updated Guidance on Accommodating Employees’ Religious Objections to COVID-19 Vaccines

March 24, 2022 by Christopher A. Barrett

On March 1, 2022 the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) issued new technical guidance (the “March 1 Guidance”) for employers on how to address an employee’s religious objection to COVID-19 vaccinations and requests for accommodations. The March…