Public Charter School and Education Law
Chris is one of the most-experienced attorneys in the field of charter school law and he has developed a real passion for school choice opportunities. He has been representing individual public charter schools and charter organizations for over fifteen years and has been involved in drafting legislation that impacts charter schools. While charter schools have many of the same issues seen by traditional public schools, charters also have unique issues regarding facilities funding, the operation of non-profit organizations and other issues specific to charter schools. Idaho public education law includes state and federal law governing the public educational process as well as state law for local governments. This educational process involves employment of both certificated and non-certificated staff, student records, education curriculum, special education, athletics and extracurricular participation, protection and security, attendance, discipline, transportation, and residency.
Chris is approved by the Idaho State Board of Education to provide ethics and governance training to district and charter school administrators and board members.
Municipal Law
Chris has extensive and varied experience in the practice of municipal and local government law. He has represented cities, charter schools, water and sewer districts, ambulance districts, cemetery districts and fire protection districts.
He also has experience representing individual clients that have disputes with other governmental entities. Because of his experience working with government entities, Chris has developed special insight in government procedures and the laws that govern those entities.
Business Law
Chris serves as legal counsel to sole proprietorships, limited liability companies (LLCs), partnerships, non-profit and tax-exempt organizations and entities providing services on a variety of business related matters.
He works with business clients in such areas as business entity selection and formation, governance, transactions, contracts and leases, and employee relations.
Chris can also assist in consulting, drafting and enforcing restrictive covenants, employment contracts and independent contractor and compensation agreements, and personnel policies.
Real Estate Law/Land Use
Chris has a comprehensive understanding of real estate law, having grown up in a family real estate development business that has developed in the Treasure Valley for more than 40 years. Chris also has extensive experience in handling land use issues on both the applicant and municipal sides of the process. This experience gives Chris unique insight and ability in finding creative and effective ways to get applications approved. Chris has represented buyers and sellers, developers, investors, property owners, homeowner’s associations and tenants. He has worked with clients in a wide-range of real estate challenges including purchase and sale agreements, land use and entitlement applications, easements, mediation and dispute resolution, eminent domain issues, property management, homeowner’s associations (including drafting CC&Rs), land development, liens, planned unit developments, residential real estate development, planning, zoning and land use.