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Education
rise to every learning challenge
creating great learning environments
Lerch Early helps educational organizations throughout Maryland, DC, and Virginia provide great places to learn and work. We serve preschools, K-12 private schools, and public and private colleges and universities.
Heads of independent schools and board members turn to Lerch Early for general counsel on running their schools effectively, from employee matters, to facilities, to operations. We counsel school leaders on governing effectively, creating a productive workforce, getting the most from their campuses, and maintaining strong operations. Lerch Early’s attorneys also give practical advice on balancing the needs of students, parents, and teachers.
We provide counsel to private schools and institutions of higher learning on employment policies, risk avoidance, contracts and tax issues, litigation, and dispute resolution, as well as facility leasing, expansion, and renovation. Lerch Early also is active in organizations like AISGW and AIMS, including monitoring legislation that may impact schools.
- Serve as outside general counsel for a number of independent schools, such as Washington Jesuit Academy, the Woods Academy, Grace Episcopal Day School, National Presbyterian School, and Sheridan School.
- Serve as real estate counsel for Howard University.
- Serve as land use counsel for Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, Landon School, Strayer University, Butler School, Concord Hill School, and others.
Contact Patrick O'Neil at 301-657-0738 or ploneil@lerchearly.com.
Howard University
Challenge
Lerch Early serves as primary outside real estate counsel to Howard University. For the past several years, the now 150 year old University has been leveraging certain of its Washington, DC real estate assets to improve the campus environment and the experience of its most valuable assets – the students, faculty and staff of the University.
Strategy
In 2016-2017, Lerch Early attorneys worked with the University’s internal legal and finance teams and its outside real estate advisor, Alvarez and Marsal, to structure a unique arrangement among Howard Dormitory Holdings 1, LLC, a wholly-owned and title-holding company of Howard University, and Howard University (collectively, the “University Parties”) and Corvias Campus Living, LLC (“Corvias”). Lerch Early represented the University Parties in drafting and negotiating the concessionaire, project management and residential life agreements, entity formation agreements, construction contracts, financing documents, and other operative agreements in connection with the transaction, as well as assisting the University Parties in addressing and resolving numerous legal and business issues associated with the transaction.
Results
The innovative 40-year partnership among the University Parties and Corvias raised $144 million, a portion of which will fund the renovation and modernization of the Howard Towers, will provide for the ongoing management of the Howard Towers and two additional residence halls, and will create, for the long-term, a sizable reserve fund for future capital expenses.