• Skip to content

Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP

Governance & Leadership

What's it like to work with F3?

Your mission as a school board is our mission as your partner. You know what needs to get done, and we’re here to collaborate with and empower you. And if you’re not sure what needs to get done, we’ll help with that, too.

What can F3 solve for you?

Whether it’s complying with the California Voting Rights Act, the Brown Act, the Public Records Act, or simply training new board members on their responsibilities, our experience preventing headaches before they begin helps keep you focused on your mission: providing the best possible education to students.

“F3 Law’s services are tailored to meet the unique needs of educational institutions and California’s public agencies, providing practical solutions and advice on compliance with open meeting laws and best practices for transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making.”

Matt Vance, Partner

We’re the ones at the other end of the phone call who know the law and know you, the board members, and your community. What makes F3 different is our keen understanding of boards and our unparalleled experience with the sometimes-complex board and governance team dynamic. Our clients are elected school boards, political entities that may have high turnover and specific agendas. Part of our job is to ensure that boards fully understand their role, their legal responsibilities, and their ethical boundaries. We also work closely with college and university leadership teams and trustees, providing the advice and counsel that can help institutions navigate challenging issues and return the focus to the goal of educating students.

We’re a firm of more than 80 attorneys focused exclusively on education, and many of us bring to the table decades of direct experience as school board members, superintendents, and former in-house counsel for districts and colleges. While other firms may provide counsel solely on the law without a true understanding of how things work, F3 brings our clients a much broader picture.

Our mission is our clients’ mission

With our depth of experience and knowledge, we’re here to advise boards and other school leadership on best practices and their options – not simply to tell them what to do. And not just to keep them on the right side of the law, but to provide tailored advice toward achieving our shared goal, excellence in education, within the context of who the community and stakeholders are, as well as the law. 

Best practices = fewer problems

While we have litigated cases when clients have had lawsuits related, for example, to the Brown Act and Public records Act, our main objective is to help clients maintain the integrity of the governance team and the board and avoid landmines. By advising on and encouraging the best policies and procedures based on our experience – such as timely responding to Public Records Act and media requests – we prevent problems clients may not foresee. F3 continuously conducts workshops to train board members, new and continuing, on the nuts and bolts of keeping out of trouble. 

F3 is known for these strengths

Board elections and political issues

Current events and campaign issues can impact education organizations both on and off campus. Drawing from our in-depth experience, we offer practical guidance on the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) and transitions from at-large to by-trustee-area election systems. We provide thorough legal analysis as well as professional development on these and other issues with the aim of ensuring a compliant and fair process. We have also testified before the California State Assembly’s Local Government and Elections Committees.

Crisis Management and Free Speech Issues 

Schools and colleges deal with issues outside of their control that can escalate into crises, such as responding to epidemics, data breaches, or protests and encampments on campuses.  Our attorneys and communications experts help navigate these issues, provide options and strategies, and help clients reach optimal resolutions under challenging circumstances. 

School board appointments

Specific statutes govern the filling of school board vacancies when there are no candidates to fill them. Requirements may govern the timing of appointments, the residency of appointees, and other details. Our attorneys are adept at guiding districts through the appointment process in a compliant and noncontroversial manner.

Brown Act compliance and meeting procedure

Conducting district business in compliance with open meeting laws is imperative both to adhere to statutes and to ensure the public’s right to access. We assist districts in setting meeting agendas, following protocols, and broadcasting and virtual meeting procedures.

Public Records Act compliance

Access to information concerning the conduct of public business is a fundamental right. We provide skilled guidance in records production and maintenance, investigations, and handling complex requests.

Board and leadership training

A shared understanding of and commitment to roles and responsibilities is essential for governance teams to provide effective leadership. Our team provides tailored workshops for board and leadership that cover board responsibilities, conducting meetings, community advocacy, communication protocols, and more.

Ethics and conflicts of interest

We regularly advise school districts and their board members and leaders on a variety of issues, such as the Political Reform Act, conflicts of interest, and, lately, data breach notifications.

Related Professionals

  • Media item displaying: Lynn Beekman

    Lynn Beekman

    Partner

    San Diego
    760.304.6037 760.304.6037
    lbeekman@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jordan I. Bilbeisi

    Jordan I. Bilbeisi

    Partner

    San Diego
    760.304.6002 760.304.6002
    jbilbeisi@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Namita S. Brown

    Namita S. Brown

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8217 510.550.8217
    nbrown@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Roy A. Combs

    Roy A. Combs

    Partner

    OaklandSacramento
    510.550.8220 510.550.8220
    rcombs@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Seth N. Eckstein

    Seth N. Eckstein

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8236 510.550.8236
    seckstein@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Peter K. Fagen

    Peter K. Fagen

    Partner

    Labor Relations & Negotiations
    San DiegoFresnoInland EmpireLos AngelesMidwest
    760.304.6000 760.304.6000
    pfagen@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: James B. Fernow

    James B. Fernow

    Partner

    Labor Relations & Negotiations
    Los Angeles
    323.330.6304 323.330.6304
    jfernow@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Douglas N. Freifeld

    Douglas N. Freifeld

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8224 510.550.8224
    dfreifeld@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Christopher D. Keeler

    Christopher D. Keeler

    Partner

    Inland EmpireSan Diego
    951.215.4910 951.215.4910
    ckeeler@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: M. Alejandra León

    M. Alejandra León

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8237 510.550.8237
    aleon@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jacqueline M. Litra

    Jacqueline M. Litra

    Partner

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6329 323.330.6329
    jlitra@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Diane Marshall-Freeman

    Diane Marshall-Freeman

    Partner

    School and College Athletics
    SacramentoFresno
    916.604.3073 916.604.3073
    dmarshall-freeman@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: David A. Moreno

    David A. Moreno

    Partner

    Fresno
    559.860.4701 559.860.4701
    damoreno@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Elizabeth B. “Lisa” Mori

    Elizabeth B. “Lisa” Mori

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8222 510.550.8222
    emori@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jonathan A. Salt

    Jonathan A. Salt

    Partner

    San Diego
    760.304.6007 760.304.6007
    jsalt@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Cynthia M. Smith

    Cynthia M. Smith

    Partner

    Sacramento
    916.604.3072 916.604.3072
    csmith@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Shiva E. Stein

    Shiva E. Stein

    Partner

    San Diego
    760.304.6034 760.304.6034
    sstein@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Joshua A. Stevens

    Joshua A. Stevens

    Partner

    Oakland
    510.550.8218 510.550.8218
    jstevens@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jim Traber

    Jim Traber

    Partner

    Sacramento
    916.604.3083 916.604.3083
    jtraber@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Matthew C. Vance

    Matthew C. Vance

    Partner

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6836 323.330.6836
    mvance@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: L. Carlos Villegas

    L. Carlos Villegas

    Partner

    Los AngelesFresnoInland Empire
    323.330.6330 323.330.6330
    cvillegas@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Mark S. Williams

    Mark S. Williams

    Partner

    OaklandSacramento
    510.550.8228 510.550.8228
    mwilliams@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Pat Kernan

    Pat Kernan

    Of Counsel

    SacramentoOakland
    916.604.3071 916.604.3071
    pkernan@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Terilyn Finders

    Terilyn Finders

    Chief Client Services Officer

    Oakland
    510.550.8208 510.550.8208
    tfinders@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Mary Breffle

    Mary Breffle

    Associate

    Oakland
    510.550.8215 510.550.8215
    mbreffle@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Nia Franklin

    Nia Franklin

    Partner

    Sacramento
    916.604.3085 916.604.3085
    nfranklin@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Amanda S. Georgino

    Amanda S. Georgino

    Senior Counsel

    Los AngelesInland Empire
    323.330.6313 323.330.6313
    ageorgino@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Katy L. McCully Merrill

    Katy L. McCully Merrill

    Senior Counsel

    Fresno
    559.860.4708 559.860.4708
    kmccully@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Dhara J. Patel

    Dhara J. Patel

    Associate

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6824 323.330.6824
    dpatel@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Lauren Rubio

    Lauren Rubio

    Associate

    San DiegoMidwest
    760.814.6127 760.814.6127
    lrubio@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Madisyn L.U. Aleshire

    Madisyn L.U. Aleshire

    Associate

    San Diego
    760.304.6038 760.304.6038
    maleshire@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jonathan M. Velasquez

    Jonathan M. Velasquez

    Associate

    Inland Empire
    951.215.4917 951.215.4917
    jvelasquez@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jasmine Ramezanzadeh

    Jasmine Ramezanzadeh

    Associate

    Governance & Leadership
    Los Angeles
    323.330.6322 323.330.6322
    jramezanzadeh@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Marie Naguib

    Marie Naguib

    Associate

    Labor Relations & Negotiations
    Inland Empire
    951.215.4921 951.215.4921
    mnaguib@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Laura R. Wagner

    Laura R. Wagner

    Senior Counsel

    Sacramento
    916.604.3082 916.604.3082
    lwagner@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Damon Fournier

    Damon Fournier

    Associate

    Special Education
    Los Angeles
    323.330.6837 323.330.6837
    dfournier@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Katie Yoshida

    Katie Yoshida

    Associate

    Sacramento
    916.604.3092 916.604.3092
    kyoshida@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Zuzanna Tkaczow

    Zuzanna Tkaczow

    Associate

    Los Angeles
    323.574.2220 323.574.2220
    ztkaczow@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Michael Armstrong

    Michael Armstrong

    Associate

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6813 323.330.6813
    marmstrong@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Montana L. Massone

    Montana L. Massone

    Associate

    San Diego
    760.814.6102 760.814.6102
    mmassone@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Nicolás Parra

    Nicolás Parra

    Associate

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6844 323.330.6844
    nparra@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Alicia “Ali” Arman Brown

    Alicia “Ali” Arman Brown

    Associate

    Oakland
    510.550.8227 510.550.8227
    aarmanbrown@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Daniel Ojeda

    Daniel Ojeda

    Partner

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6837 323.330.6837
    dojeda@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Komey Vishakan

    Komey Vishakan

    Senior Counsel

    Oakland
    510.550.8233 510.550.8233
    kvishakan@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Daniel Zerga

    Daniel Zerga

    Associate

    Sacramento
    916.604.3094 916.604.3094
    dzerga@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Jessica Valadez

    Jessica Valadez

    Associate

    Los Angeles
    323.330.6847 323.330.6847
    jvaladez@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: Ryan Donoghue

    Ryan Donoghue

    Associate

    Sacramento
    916.604.3091 916.604.3091
    rdonoghue@f3law.com

  • Media item displaying: John Vierra

    John Vierra

    Associate

    San Diego
    760.814.6103 760.814.6103
    jvierra@f3law.com

Insights & News

  1. Viewpoints
    Ninth Circuit Clarifies When School Officials’ Social Media Use May Constitute State Action And Violate The First Amendment
    May 16, 2025
    less than a minute
  2. Viewpoints
    Teacher Apprenticeship Programs, Recently Defunded, Remain a Viable Option for Filling Vacancies
    May 16, 2025
    less than a minute
  3. Viewpoints
    Funding for Wi-Fi hotspots at risk?
    May 09, 2025
    less than a minute
More Insights & News
Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
Get the latest F3 Insights and Invitations
Sign-up Now
Contact Us
  • © 2025 Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
Site by
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesThe cookie contains information related to the calculation of Cloudflare’s proprietary bot score and, when Anomaly Detection is enabled on Bot Management, a session identifier
algoliasearch-client-js1 yearNecessary in order to optimize the web site's search-bar function . The cookie ensures accurate and fast search results.
AWSELB1 yearUsed to distribute traffic to the website on several servers in order to optimise response times.
AWSELBCORS1 yearRegisters which server-cluster is serving the visitor. This is used in context with load balancing, in order to optimize user experience.
CONSENT1 yearUsed to detect if the visitor has accepted the marketing category in the cookie banner. This cookie is necessary for GDPR-compliance of the website.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearUsed to detect if the visitor has accepted the marketing category in the cookie banner. This cookie is necessary for GDPR-compliance of the website.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
JSESSIONID1 yearPreserves users states across page requests.
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga1 yearRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the web site.
_ga_#1 yearUsed by Google Analytics to collect data on the number of times a user has visited the web site as well as dates for the first and most recent visit.
_gat1 yearUsed by Google Analytics to throttle request rate.
_gid1 yearRegisters a unique ID that is used to generate statistical data on how the visitor uses the web site.
collect1 yearUsed to send data to Google Analytics about the visitor's device and behavior. Tracks the visitor across devices and marketing channels.
NRBA_SESSION1 yearCollects data on the user’s navigation and behavior on the website. This is used to compile statistical reports and heatmaps for the website owner.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
LAST_RESULT_ENTRY_KEY1 yearUsed to track user’s interaction with embedded content.
LogsDatabaseV2:V#||LogsRequestsStore1 yearUnclassified
nextId1 yearUsed to track user’s interaction with embedded content.
remote_sid1 yearNecessary for the implementation and functionality of YouTube video-content on the website.
requests1 yearUsed to track user’s interaction with embedded content.
TESTCOOKIESENABLED1 yearUsed to track user’s interaction with embedded content.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE1 yearUnclassified
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA1 yearUnclassified
YSC1 yearUnclassified
yt-remote-cast-available1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-cast-installed1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-connected-devices1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-device-id1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-fast-check-period1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-session-app1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
yt-remote-session-name1 yearStores the user's video player preferences using embedded YouTube video
YtIdbMeta#databases1 yearUsed to track user’s interaction with embedded content.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
CookieDurationDescription
BNI_new_persistence1 yearUnclassified
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • Professionals
  • Services
    • Business
    • Communications & Media Relations
    • Education Technology
    • Employment Law
    • Facilities & Construction
    • Governance & Leadership
    • Government Affairs & Public Policy
    • School and College Athletics
    • Investigations
    • Labor Relations & Negotiations
    • Litigation
    • Next Level Client Services
    • Real Estate & Property
    • Special Education
    • Student Rights & Discipline
    • Title IX
    • Virtual Learning
  • Our Clients
    • Charter Schools
    • Community Colleges
    • Higher Education
    • Independent & Private Schools
    • Public Agencies
    • Public Education K-12
    • Religious & Parochial Schools
  • Insights & News
    • Announcements
    • Client Alert
    • News
    • NewsFlash®
    • Symposium Materials
    • Tips & Tools
    • Viewpoints
  • Events
    • Special Education Symposium
    • Student Services Legal Symposium
  • Our Firm
    • Leadership
    • Locations
  • Careers
    • Our People
    • Job Opportunities
  • Our Culture
  • Civics
  • Contact Us