The Montezuma-Cortez RE-1 School District is seeking proposals from law firms to serve as its general counsel for the Board of Education and superintendent. The district opened its request for proposals on Thursday.
Submissions are due by noon March 17, with services to begin April 27 under a professional services agreement.
The district stated it is looking for attorneys experienced in Colorado public school law, federal education regulations, governance, employment law, student rights and risk management.
The selected firm will advise on state statutes, open meetings and records laws, board policy development, superintendent contracts, personnel matters, special education compliance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504, student discipline and enrollment issues, Title IX, litigation in state and federal courts, contract review, on-call crisis support and other legal needs.
Firms must also be willing to attend regularly scheduled board meetings when requested.
To qualify, firms must be licensed in Colorado, have experience representing public school districts, carry professional liability insurance and show strong knowledge of Colorado public school governance laws.
Proposals should include details on the firm and its attorneys, at least three references from Colorado school districts, a clear fee structure with hourly rates and billing options, a strong commitment to quick response times and emergency availability and disclosure of any potential conflict of interest.
The district will evaluate proposals based on school-law expertise, responsiveness, references and understanding of public school governance. Top candidates may be interviewed. If interviews are needed, they will be held March 17, the same night as board approval.
Questions are due to Superintendent Eddie Ramirez in writing by March 5. The full request for proposals is available through the district administration office’s website at https://bit.ly/MCSDlawfirmproposal.
