Jennifer Earley is a shareholder of Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney. She has over two decades of experience in school law, representing schools and educational institutions on day-to-day matters. Jennifer is legal counsel to many school districts, charter and private school boards and other educational institutions across the State of Minnesota, handling a wide variety of education issues ranging from student discipline to employee termination to labor relations. She is a frequent speaker and provides training to board members, administrators and staff on many topics including data privacy, the Open Meeting Law, bullying, harassment, discrimination, and employee discipline.
Jennifer graduated from William Mitchell College of Law, where she was a published author in the William Mitchell Law Review.
When she is not representing schools, she is a proud hockey mom of two boys and a community volunteer.
Practice Areas
- Labor & Employment Law
- School Law
- Insurance Defense
Professional Associations
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Dakota County Bar Association
- Minnesota School Boards Association
- Minnesota Association of School Personnel Administrators
- Minnesota Council of School Attorneys
- National Council of School Attorneys
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D.
- Winona State University, B.S., Cum Laude
Representative Cases
- In re the Expulsion of M.A.L, Co No. C8-02-739, 2002 WL 31655343 (Minn. Ct. App. 2002) (unpublished) (holding that school district properly expelled student for violation of weapons policy)
- Adkisson v. Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 13, Co-98-1006, 1998 WL 778321 (Minn. Ct. App. 1998) (unpublished) (holding that teacher’s only remedy for challenging the school board’s action was through a writ of certiorari and that teacher failed to state a claim under the Uniform Arbitration Act and PELRA).
- In re the Arbitration of Sch. Serv. Emp. Int’l Union and Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 2687, BMS No. 17-PA-0025, 2017 WL 818729 (Jan. 19, 2017, Arb. Latimer); In re the Arbitration of Sch. Serv. Emp. Int’l Union and Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 727, BMS No. 17-PA-0139, (Mr. 31, 2017, Arb. Ver Ploeg) (both decisions holding that school districts’ declarations of impasse were proper and entitled school districts to unilaterally implement subcontracting decisions).
- In re the Arbitration of Cent. Educ. Assoc. and Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 108, BMS No. 16-PA-0266, 2016 WL 446732 (July 28, 2016, Arb. Beens) (holding that the school district did not violate the collective bargaining agreement when it required union members to contribute to their health insurance premiums).
- In re the Arbitration of Caledonia Educ. Assoc. and Caledonia Pub. Sch., BMS Case. NO. 11-PA-355, 2011 WL 5436463 (Oct. 28, 2011, Arb. Daly) (holding that school district did not violate the collective bargaining agreement by not distributing any portion of the claims margin return received from its insurer to union members).
- In re the Proposed Discharge of a Teacher from Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 2687, BMS No. 11-TD-7 (Apr.11, 2011, Arb. Miller) (upholding the end of the year and immediate discharge of the teacher). In re the Proposed Discharge of a Teacher from Indep. Sch. Dist. No. 314, BMS No. 06-TD-7 (Jan. 3, 2007, Arb. Imes) (upholding the immediate discharge of the teacher).
Publications
- “The Minnesota Court of Appeals: A Court Without Precedent?” 19 William Mitchell Law Review (1993)
- “Communicating with the Public and Staff Regarding Problematic Employees” Inquiry and Analysis, National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys (Oct. 2003)
- “Making the Right Call on Cell Phone Policies” Minnesota School Boards Association Journal (Sept-Oct 2009)
- Interview with Jennifer Earley, Attorney, Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A., “Fundraising Engages School Community, Constituents” School Superintendent’s Insider (Nov. 2014).
Community Involvement
- Sibley Hockey Boosters
- Friendly Hills PTA