Litigation and Liability in Student Matters: Strategies for School Attorneys Regarding the 1st Amendment, Bullying, Student Discipline, and SPED

Keith Altman | K Altman Law

Keith Altman is the founder of K Altman Law, a national law firm that specializes in student defense and complex litigation matters. He is admitted to federal courts in California, Michigan, Maryland, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Altman is a member of the Sedona Conference, Working Group 1 (electronic discovery). He is the co-chair and founder of the American Association of Justice Electronic Discovery Litigation Group. He has appeared before the Federal Rules Committee on many relevant issues pertaining to the Federal Bar Association.

Mr. Altman is a forensic data analysis expert. He is also experienced in matters of pharmacovigilance and safety surveillance in the United States and Canada.

I. Applicable federal statutes | 1:00pm – 1:10pm

• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Indirectly Related)

II. Federal case studies | 1:10pm – 1:20pm

• Top Mistakes to Avoid
• Common Plaintiff Mistakes
• Strengthening Claims

III. Drafting effective complaints and responsive pleadings | 1:20pm – 1:30pm

• Best Practices for Complaints
• Key Elements

IV. Liability in student action – plaintiff’s perspective | 1:30pm – 1:40pm

• Theories of Liability
• Strengthening Claims

V. Addressing causation and proving damages | 1:40pm – 1:50pm

• Causation
• Proving Damages

VI. Effective use of expert witnesses | 1:50pm – 2:00pm

• Key Role of Experts
• Establishing Negligence

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

VII. Discovery strategies for plaintiffs | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

• Key Objectives in Discovery
• Challenges

VIII. Mediation strategies for favorable outcomes | 2:20pm – 2:30pm

• Approach to Mediation
• When to Settle

IX. Trial Strategies for presenting compelling evidence | 2:30pm – 2:40pm

• Presentation of Evidence
• Key Points for Success

X. Understanding the impact of bullying on victims | 2:40pm – 3:10pm

• Emotional/Psychological Impact
• How to Present This in Court