About our Firm
Our History
Dennis G. O'Hara began his legal career as a trial attorney with a large law firm in Central New York. While representing public school districts for that firm, he saw that the scope and complexity of legal needs for school districts were expanding exponentially and realized that the Education Law practice area would become broader and more complex in the foreseeable future. He believed there was a real need for a law firm whose practice focused on representing public and private school districts. In November 1971, he founded that firm.
O'Hara, O'Connell & Ciotoli has been representing public school districts, BOCES and private schools since 1971, and has maintained long-term relationships with many school district clients to this day. These relationships are a testimonial to the quality of service and commitment to client that is our never-ending goal.
Our Philosophy
Our philosophy is simple. We want to be the very best at representing public and private school districts, municipal clients and individuals. We seek to be a true partner with governing boards and administrative teams in the delivery of our services. We consider it a privilege to work with public servants, professional educators and private clients.
We do not set policy, but we strive to inform our board of education clients of every policy option. We do not administer schools but we make every effort to understand the needs and goals of administrators and to provide them with ways to achieve their objectives that are legally correct. We are also sensitive to fiscal and political concerns of our clients, and work hard to adapt to those concerns.
Municipalities are target defendants, and it is inevitable that they will be sued. On occasion, they also have to sue others. We pride ourselves on our ability to litigate when necessary, and our experience and institutional knowledge enable us to handle these cases cost-effectively and efficiently. We believe, however, that our most important service is to help school districts avoid litigation in the first place, and to spend our energies contributing constructively and proactively to initiatives undertaken by the client.
Our internal rigor is demanding. We insist on quality service for our clients from everyone who works for the Firm. Gratefully, the members of our team accept that burden, and are proud of the services we provide.
Making a Difference
Over the years, O'Hara, O'Connell & Ciotoli has gained respect across New York State for its competence and accomplishments in Education Law matters. Periodically, the Firm has assumed a lead role in lawsuits and other matters that impact school districts on a statewide basis. For example, as one of the lead attorneys on the Conrail Defense Team, we defended Conrail's attack on real property assessments for 280 New York State school districts.
We were also one of three firms that represented several hundred school districts in the Lion Capital litigation. We negotiated first with the attorneys representing Coca-Cola and then with the SED staff to secure the first pouring rights agreement for a public school district in New York. We drafted the model employment contract for boards of education to use with superintendents of schools, and we have established new and beneficial law for school districts on arbitration and tax certiorari proceedings.
Early on, we took steps necessary to be recognized as approved bond counsel by major financial institutions in order to give upstate school districts an alternative to Wall Street firms for the issuance of short-term borrowings and serial bonds. More recently, we have sorted out the maze of state regulatory and federal copyright laws that impact on a public school district providing instruction via the Internet.
Our goal is, and always has been, to help school districts respond to ever-changing challenges, while preserving their resources to tackle the primary mission of educating students.
Capabilities & Resources
The O'Hara, O'Connell & Ciotoli team has "been there, done that" and has learned in the process. We have developed significant Education Law resources over the years. Dennis O'Hara has over thirty years of education and municipal law experience. Jim O'Connell has represented schools on finance, contract and tax certiorari matters for fourteen years. The partners are complemented by a team of lawyers and staff who bring valuable experience and skills to their tasks. We have recruited attorneys who have achieved academic excellence, and who are imbued with the goal of providing timely, competent and unique services to our school district clients. Steve Ciotoli has twenty years experience in the handling of personal injury, contract and civil rights lawsuits. Tim Collins has a strong background in special education and disability law matters.
Over the years, we have amassed an impressive array of research data that is electronically stored for rapid retrieval and use. We maintain state-of-the-art computer services and a full law library.
We are able to communicate with our clients no matter where they are located. Through a mixture of telecommunications and our willingness to meet with boards, regardless of the hour or the distance, O'Hara, O'Connell & Ciotoli has rendered services to school districts in every corner of the state.
Professional, competent and experienced, O'Hara, O'Connell & Ciotoli delivers quality service to its clients cost-effectively and quickly. This ability has made our name synonymous with trust and competence for boards of education and municipalities throughout the state.