Robbins Schwartz

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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