Harold Wood

The School Team of the Tulare County Counsel's Office serves as general legal counsel to the schools of Tulare County. The team, with three attorneys and a paralegal, provides a broad range of legal services to local school districts. For example, we advise districts on student matters such as student's rights, dress codes, inter-district attendance, suspensions and expulsions. We advise school boards as to their obligations under the Brown Act and conflict of interest laws, establishment of board policies, and the filling of board vacancies. Our services in regard to personnel matters include helping school districts with hiring, layoffs, employee discipline, dismissals and leaves of absence. The School Team is often asked for legal opinions involving discrimination issues, health issues, school district liability, lawful expenditures of public funds, public records, and political and commercial activity. In addition, we assist districts with business transactions such as the purchase and sale of property, lease-purchase financing, bidding issues, collection and use of developer fees, and the issuance of general obligation bonds. Many school districts come to the County Counsel's Office for assistance into entering contracts, including leases, employment contracts, consultant agreements and settlement agreements. We also play an important role in school district construction projects, assisting the districts with bidding requirements, architect agreements and construction contracts. Finally, our team puts a strong emphasis on proactive client education. We seek to keep school administrators well informed of legal developments and requirements through our all-district memos and handbooks, as well as frequent presentations to countywide groups such as the Superintendent's Advisory hosted by the county superintendent. With the help of a full time paralegal, support staff and advanced computer technology, the School Team continually strives to provide timely and reliable legal services to meet the varied needs of its school district clients.