Joseph M. Cooper

Joe’s practice is focused on education law, employment litigation, and labor law.  Joe’s work in education law includes advising school districts, colleges, and universities on matters related to employee misconduct, special education disputes, due process complaints, and student disciplinary proceedings.  He regularly assists our education clients in drafting and implementing education and employment policies, compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and enforcement of state and federal anti-discrimination laws such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title IX.

Joe is an expert in both the Rhode Island Open Meetings Act (OMA) and the Rhode Island Access to Public Records Act (APRA).  He regularly guides our public sector clients through FOIA, OMA and APRA-related matters to ensure compliance with the statutes and to protect our clients’ interests.

Previously, Joe worked at the Massachusetts Department of Education’s General Counsel’s Office, where he focused on Department investigations involving educator misconduct.  While in law school, he clerked at the Office of Legal Advisor to the Boston Public Schools and also earned a master’s degree in education from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education.