Now in his second decade in the practice of education law, Adam S. Weiss is a sought-after leader in the representation of school districts. A former board of education member himself, Adam has dedicated his practice to the representation of school boards and other public entities, in a wide range of matters before the United States District Court, Superior Court of New Jersey, New Jersey Office of Administrative Law, New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission, New Jersey Department of Education School Ethics Commission, United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights.

Blending his passion for education with his skills as a zealous advocate for school districts and their stakeholders, Adam always strives to ensure the best possible outcomes for his clients, while simultaneously exceeding their expectations. With expertise in many facets of education law – including the New Jersey School Ethics Act, the Code of Ethics for School Board Members, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), New Jersey special education laws, the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), fiscal accountability regulations, employment law, harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) and student discipline – Adam’s pragmatic, no-nonsense approach and counsel has benefited countless school districts in each of New Jersey’s 21 counties. In his role as General Counsel to school districts, Adam’s clients depend on his broad knowledge of education law, combined with his formal training and experience in public communications and crisis management, all of which have proven to be of significant value to school districts.

Adam especially enjoys and excels at providing legal counsel to the firm’s clients during crisis situations. From coordinating responses to cyberattacks to dealing with and responding to environmental concerns, Adam serves as a trusted advisor to boards of education and school leaders across New Jersey. To the extent that the firm’s clients become involved in matters that draw local and national media attention, Adam has a proven track record of assisting them to effectively communicate and coordinate all aspects of crisis response efforts, while ensuring that applicable laws, statutes, codes, policies and regulations are appropriately addressed.

School leaders also rely upon the breadth and depth of Adam’s experience as a litigator on behalf of school districts. It is that experience that enables Adam to identify, reduce and contain his clients’ exposure to liability in myriad areas. In that regard, Adam regularly works with his clients’ insurance industry professionals, including risk management consultants and insurance brokers, to address issues proactively, in an effort to mitigate risks and avoid litigation.

Adam’s years of litigation experience on behalf of school districts is particularly beneficial to his clients when they call upon him to conduct and/or monitor internal investigations. Adam has conducted formal and informal inquiries into sensitive and high-profile matters, including those that involve whistleblower claims, sexual harassment claims, discrimination claims, allegations of abuse, and/or claims of hostile work/educational environment. Given his comprehensive, methodical, and objective approach to investigations, Adam’s clients rest assured, knowing that his conclusions will be accurate and well-supported.

Adam also has a broad base of knowledge and experience in special education law. He regularly counsels his clients in all matters related to special education, including attendance at Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings. Additionally, Adam regularly provides guidance and professional development seminars to child study teams on many topics related to special education. His close working relationships with numerous special education administrators and child study team members throughout New Jersey helps to ensure district compliance with the numerous obligations and requirements under the various State and federal special education laws. Furthermore, when needed, Adam’s experience and unique approach to special education due process litigation allows him to offer his clients creative options that consider the students’ and school districts’ needs, priorities, obligations, and concerns.

As both a school board attorney and a former board of education member, Adam is uniquely qualified to represent the interests of his school district clients. He currently serves as a Trustee of the New Jersey Association of School Attorneys, having continuously served in that position since 2018. He also serves as a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s School Law Special Committee, having been continuously appointed to the committee since 2013. In addition to having been rated by New Jersey Super Lawyers Top Rated Schools and Education in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, Adam was also named a “Rising Star” by New Jersey Super Lawyers in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Before entering private practice, Adam served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edward J. Ryan, J.S.C. (Ret.) of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, New Brunswick.

A firm believer in active participation in civic and community matters, Adam has been a long-time volunteer in the communities in which he has lived. In addition to his prior service as a member of one of New Jersey’s largest regional high school district boards of education, Adam previously served as an elected Township Councilman and currently serves as a member of his town’s zoning board of adjustment, a position to which he has been continuously appointed since 2018.

New Jersey School Boards Association Fall School Law Forum, Atlantic City, NJ, Topic: Public Schools or Public Squares?: How to Navigate Student and Faculty Speech in these Challenging Times – October 24,2024

New Jersey School Boards Association Podcast: Finding the Right Mask Policy for Your District – February 24, 2022

Burlington County Superintendents’ Roundtable, “Pandemic Communications” – February 16, 2021, Virtual Presentation

New Jersey School Boards Association Spring 2020 School Law Forum, “Understanding the Landscape of Data Privacy and Cybersecurity in 2020” – June 17, 2020, Virtual Presentation

Foundation for Educational Administration (FEA)/New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA)/New Jersey Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NJASCD) Fall Conference, “Crisis Communications: Keeping Up in an Ever-Changing World of Instant Communication” – October 19, 2018, Long Branch, NJ

New Jersey School Boards Association Fall 2017 School Law Forum, “Intersection of School Law and Insurance” – October 26, 2017, Atlantic City, NJ

National Business Institute – “Student Records: Legal Requirements You Need to Know”, May 2, 2017, Princeton, NJ

Seton Hall University, College of Education & Human Services, Aspiring Superintendents’ Academy, “Navigating School Districts Through the Litigation Process”, January 24, 2017, South Orange, NJ

AJ Gallagher / The Morville Group & School Alliance Insurance Fund – “Harassment Intimidation and Bullying”, September 23, 2016, Sparta, NJ

The Barclay Insurance Group & School Alliance Insurance Fund – “Harassment Intimidation and Bullying”, September 22, 2016, Riverton, NJ

The Van Dyk Group & School Alliance Insurance Fund – “Harassment Intimidation and Bullying”, September 21, 2016, Manahawkin, NJ

National Business Institute – “New Jersey Special Education Law”, February 23, 2016, Princeton, NJ

West Orange School District – “Issues in Special Education”, June 9, 2015, West Orange, NJ

School Alliance Insurance Fund – “How to Handle Reductions in Force and Investigating Harassment Claims and Accommodating Disabilities”, February 20, 2014, Secaucus, NJ

National Business Institute – “Special Education Laws Made Simple”, January 13, 2014, Princeton, NJ

The Barclay Insurance Group & School Alliance Insurance Fund – “The Role of the Child Study Team in Special Education”, February 14, 2013, Riverton, NJ

Polaris Galaxy Insurance & School Alliance Insurance Fund – “Title 59 – The New Jersey Tort Claims Act”, February 1, 2013, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

School Alliance Insurance Fund – “The Tort Claims Act”, October 11, 2012, Lopatcong, NJ

Garden State Municipal Joint Insurance Fund – “Investigating Harassment Claims, Accommodating Disabilities and Other Lawsuits”, May 25, 2011, Woodbridge, NJ

Union County Chiefs of Police – “Risk Management for Police Executives”, May 25, 2010, Scotch Plains, NJ