WICSA Retains Legal Counsel

School Leaders,
The WICSA Board voted to retain a law firm this morning regarding the constitutional challenge brought against Independent Charters last week. This is the first step in the process with many more to come. We are first working on becoming direct intervenors in the Court case.

As the legal strategy gets developed, we will relay as much information as possible.  There will be ongoing discussions about individual schools also joining the lawsuit underneath the WICSA umbrella.  We should have more information on that path in a few days.

Also, we are named in the suit alongside private schools in the voucher programs.  They have already retained the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. 

The majority of the legal basis for this case will address both private schools and charter schools the same way.  In those instances, our goal is to work with private schools and their legal team to advance our cause.  There are a few differences, however, in the legal definitions of private schools and charter schools.  In those instances, our legal strategy may be slightly offset to that of private schools.  

It is in this light that it was necessary for WICSA to hire its own law firm.  Our firm, in the end, will have 100% focus on protecting charter schools.  The goal is not to be oppositional to any of the private school positions, however, we felt it necessary to have legal clarity.

The firm we have retained is Michael Best and Friedrich.  They have a history of working with Independent Charter Schools in Wisconsin and a successful track record in front of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  We will give you a heads up if the firm needs to contact you directly.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kristi Cole
WICSA Board Chair

Jim Bender
WICSA Consultant