Solicitors Association

Formed in 1963 as a department of PSBA, the Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association (PSBSA) is among the nation’s largest and most active state associations of school attorneys. First organized to improve legal services for school boards, PSBSA accomplishes this through conferences and publications, providing a venue for solicitors to share ideas and expertise and keeping members informed of case law, legislation and issues in education law impacting public schools.

PSBSA is a collegial group of professionals with an uncommon tradition of willingness to share expertise, experience and useful materials, whether during seminars, in ad hoc issue-specific working groups, in articles written for PSBA publications, via email discussions or on the telephone. Members particularly value their ability to consult with PSBA staff attorneys about issues they encounter, getting a head start on analysis and research, learning about approaches used in similar situations in other school districts, receiving mailed, faxed or emailed sample forms or documents from PSBA reference files, or simply brainstorming strategies and testing theories or arguments.

Professional development

PSBSA sponsors CLE events each year focused on topics of special significance to the practice of school law, with a lineup of highly regarded speakers featuring Pennsylvania's best-known experts in various areas of school law practice.

• Spring Legal Roundup – This annual school law update, presented by PSBA’s legal services team, is held virtually in the spring and offers 3 hours of substantive CLE credit.
• School Solicitors’ Symposium — This day-and-a-half program held each July in State College usually offers 7.5 hours of PA CLE credit (6.5 substantive hours and one ethics hour).
• School Law Workshop — This is a full-day program held in conjunction with the PASA-PSBA School Leadership Conference in the fall. This program usually offers 5.5 substantive hours of CLE credit.
• CLE Webinars – PSBSA offers a series of pre-recorded CLE webinars on numerous current topics affecting school law practice.

Become a member

Under current bylaws, membership is open to individual attorneys or firms who serve as appointed solicitor for a school district board of directors or the board of another public school entity eligible for PSBA membership (intermediate units, area vocational schools and community colleges). Member benefits include:

• Biweekly School Law EDition (SLE) newsletter, a publication that includes summaries of and links to the complete text of cases and arbitration decisions, as well as supplementary information on other important school law issues.
• PSBA’s Morning Brief and PSBA Works for You electronic newsletters (formerly Daily Edition).
• Online access to the PSBA Bulletin, an award-winning magazine, including “It's the Law,” a column written by PSBA General Counsel Michael I. Levin, Esq., discussing legal concepts and problems of significance to local school district governance.
• State and federal legislative newsletters, along with Legislative Alerts, provide members with timely and relevant updates on important legislative issues and other news impacting public education.
• The School Solicitors Monthly Exchange – A complimentary networking session for members that provides a convenient, regular opportunity for solicitors to “gather” virtually to brainstorm and compare notes on school law issues they are dealing with.
• Email alerts on issues and important developments in school law.
• PSBA member rates for attendance at PSBA conferences and programs as well as books including the Pennsylvania School Law Handbook, A Practical Guide to the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, and Labor Relations for School Leaders.
• Access to PSBA subject matter reference information, arbitration archives and consultation with PSBA staff attorneys.
• Access to the PSBA School Solicitors Shared Resources OneDrive – an on-line compilation of complaints and other pleadings as well as court decisions related to COVID and other education law issues that have assisted fellow school solicitors as they maneuver through their day-to-day operations.
• Career Gateway job board for posting openings in member law firms.

Non-solicitor school attorney subscription

A non-solicitor school attorney subscription package also is available to individual attorneys or firms who, while not appointed solicitors, represent public school entities and officials as defense counsel, labor counsel or other special counsel, or who are counsel to charter schools. Subscribers receive the same comprehensive PSBA publications package as Solicitors Association members, attendance at PSBA programs at member rates and participation in selected e-mail updates.

Member dues

• Solicitors Association membership dues for the current calendar year — $325
• Non-solicitor school attorney subscription package — $425

Enrollment form

Complete your membership enrollment form online or download and submit a paper copy.
(updated November 2021)