The Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys (OCSBA) was established in 1976 as an affiliate of the Ohio School Boards Association. The council provides a statewide forum on the practical legal problems faced by school attorneys, promotes a closer relationship between school attorneys and their client school board members and works to improve legal services available to boards of education through the collection and dissemination of school law information.

Membership in OCSBA is limited to attorneys who represent a city, exempted village, local or joint vocational school district board of education, educational service center governing board, or the State Board of Education. Members or employees of public boards of education who are attorneys are also eligible to join as members.

Membership provides school attorneys with an opportunity to stay current in school law with access to the following:

School law seminars: OCSBA members have the opportunity to attend the OCSBA Spring Seminar,  annual School Law Workshop and an attorney professional conduct webinar for CLE credit. OSBA’s legal division also hosts other legal seminars and webinars throughout the year. Attorneys must be OCSBA members to attend an OSBA seminar or webinar. Non-OCSBA attorneys may attend the OSBA Capital Conference but will be required to pay the nonmember rate to attend. 

Publications: Members of the council receive the following publications:

• School Law Summary: A comprehensive summary of cases relevant to the practice of school law, including unreported arbitration decisions. The School Law Summary is delivered in an electronic format directly to your inbox.
• Legal Alerts:Bulletins that are published by OSBA as needed to address topics of immediate importance.
• OSBA Update:OSBA’s semimonthly school news publication.
• Ohio School Boards Association Journal:OSBA’s award-winning magazine.
• Facts in a Flash:OSBA’s weekly legislative update that is distributed via email when the state legislature is in session.

Listserv: OCSBA members can take advantage of an exclusive listserv for discussions on legal matters affecting education in Ohio.

Consultation: Council membership offers an opportunity for consultation with OSBA’s attorneys.

Arbitration decisions: Arbitration decisions that are reported in the School Law Summary are available to council members.

OCSBA members are listed on an online searchable OCSBA directory. Individuals may search for an OCSBA member by name, firm or city.

To become a member of the Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys, please complete a membership form and return it to OCSBA with your payment.

If you would like additional information about the Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys, contact Lenore Winfrey at (614) 540-4000.