COSA Seminars and Webinars
Our school law seminars and webinars offer invaluable professional development opportunities and CLE credit for school lawyers. These programs are presented by school law practitioners for school law practitioners and target your professional needs.
School Law Seminars
School Law Seminars are held twice a year in the spring and fall. The spring School Law Seminar is held in conjunction with NSBA’s Annual Conference and draws hundreds of school attorneys from across North America. In the fall, the School Law Practice Seminar dives deep into complex, practice-related issues. Participants can earn 11-plus hours of CLE credit at each seminar. Filing CLE credit and assuring approval in your state is an integral part of our seminar program.
School Law Webinars
COSA presents webinars on topics of critical interest to public school districts and their legal counsel. COSA members receive deep discounts for these online opportunities. Pay just one low fee -- a great value for your training dollar.
COSA generally applies for Continuing Legal Education in the following states: AL, AR, GA, IL, MS, MO, NC, TN, OK, VT and WI. We also apply in states where attorney participants are not able to self-apply for credit. These states include KS, OH, SC* and TX. COSA will apply to additional states according to those represented on the webinar registration list 45 days prior to the webinar date.
To ensure CLE application review in your state, attorneys must register at least 45 days in advance. If the attorney registers less than 45 days before the webinar, he or she may seek CLE credit as follows:(1) attorney may self-apply to their state and pay application and any additional fees for application review, OR (2) attorney sends notice to COSA of his/her interest in seeking CLE credit in their state(s), agrees to have COSA apply late for their state, and agrees to pay application AND late fees incurred by COSA for the application submission.
*Applications are impacted by the availability of materials from presenter(s)
Contact COSA_Registration@nsba.org or call 703-838-6722 for more information.
Upcoming Webinars
Wednesday, November 20, 2019: Holiday Webinar Bundle on Religion and Public Schools
Religion and Public Schools 101: Misadventures in First Amendment Land
Noon – 1:15 p.m. (Eastern) REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 11AM EASTERN
For almost fifty years, Lemon has been the primary test used by courts to apply the Establishment Clause to various issues and practices in the public school system, but during that time it has been frequently and severely criticized by even the judges using it. In 2019, the Supreme Court decided American Legion v. American Humanist Association, which, while not a school law case, could have a significant impact on how such issues are analyzed in the future. Join Chris Gilbert for a discussion of American Legion, and how common issues may change within the public school environment in light of the Supreme Court’s increasing willingness to bow to the weight of history.
Host: Cheryl Richardson, Director, Council of School Attorneys, NSBA
Presenter: Chris Gilbert, Thompson & Horton LLP, Houston, TX
Thou Shall Not DIBBEL - Responding to Requests for Religious Accommodation in School Curriculum
1:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. (Eastern) REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 12:30PM EASTERN
In the last year, lawsuits have been filed or threatened against school entities claiming that classes that include everything from teaching about world religions, to discussion LGBT issues, to classes about mindfulness and yoga violate the First Amendment by either forcing students to learn about religion or violate the religious liberties of students. In addition, recent years have seen objections to common core and state level testing on the basis of religion. Stuck in the middle are school entities working to educate children and trying to ensure that all feel welcome in school. In this session, recent developments in the law on the issue of balancing religious accommodation and school curriculum will be discussed.
Host: Tammy Carter, Senior Staff Attorney, NSBA
Presenter: Timothy Gilsbach, Fox Rothschild LLP, Blue Bell, PA
Happy Holidays for All - Balancing Observance and Objections
3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. (Eastern) REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 2PM EASTERN
As the Christmas season approaches, you may get tricky questions or dreaded lawsuits about holiday displays and symbols, observing religious holidays, or religious objections to holidays. This presentation will focus on permissible holiday observances and programs while examining what accommodations should be available for students and staff observing or objecting to religious holidays and observances. The presentation will also address the common holiday displays and symbols and when they are appropriately used in the school environment.
Host: Cheryl Richardson, Director, Council of School Attorneys, NSBA
Presenters: Tiffany Richardson, General Counsel and Director of Policy and Legal Services, South Carolina School Boards Association; and Tara McCall, Staff Attorney, South Carolina School Boards Association
These webinars can be purchased individually or you can purchase more and save!
Save 20% if you purchase a bundle of two live webinars.
Bundle #1: (1) Religion and Public Schools 101 and (2) Thou Shall Not DIBBEL – Responding to Requests for Religious Accommodation in School Curriculum
Bundle #2: (1) Religion and Public Schools 101 and (2) Happy Holidays for All – Balancing Observance and Objections
Bundle #3: (1) Thou Shall Not DIBBEL – Responding to Requests for Religious Accommodation in School Curriculum and (2) Happy Holidays for All – Balancing Observance and Objections
Save 30% if you purchase all three
Bundle #4: (1) Religion and Public Schools 101; (2) Thou Shall Not DIBBEL – Responding to Requests for Religious Accommodation in School Curriculum ; and (3) Happy Holidays for All – Balancing Observance and Objections
| Regular (Non-Member) | COSA Member | State Association | |
| Individual | $139 | $99 | $49 |
| Bundle (2 Sessions) | $222 | $158 | $78 |
| Bundle (3 Sessions) | $291 | $207 | $102 |