PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:
Rhode Island Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association
EDUCATION:
University of Maine, School of Law, 2001
Boston College, 1998
BAR ADMISSIONS:
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
Maine
Federal Court for the District of Rhode Island
Federal Court for the District of Massachusetts
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Rhode Island
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts
U.S.Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
PUBLICATIONS & ARTICLES:
“He Didn’t Mean To Do It: How the Law Treats Discipline for Students with Special Needs”. April 2018. BRCSM Insights.
O’Donovan v. MacIntosh: Changing the Contours of Maine’s Easement Law, Published in Maine Law Review, Volume 52, Book II, 2000.
Articles Editor and Staff Member for Maine Law Review
Michael Polak
OF COUNSEL
Michael is part of the education law team at HCL where he handles a wide array of legal issues in both general education and special education forums. He advises school systems on issues ranging from truancy hearings to employment disputes to funding conflicts, frequently dealing with the Department of Education, administrative agencies and local municipalities.
He has been involved in several RI Supreme Court decisions including the successful representation of a local school system in a matter that clarified the law surrounding non-renewal of an administrator.
As a frequent speaker on topical education and special education issues, Michael has authored and delivered numerous presentations including:
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Truancy and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to school administrators, truant officers and special ed directors (August 2018)
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a National Business Institute (NBI) seminar on the Access to Public Records Act at a program on local government law for attorneys (July 2017)
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The latest implications of foster care for school systems to the RI School Superintendents Assoc/RI Assoc of School Business Officials (RISSA/RIASBO) at their Annual Legal Institute (October 2018)