FAQs

YES! NSAA is not affiliated with any other organization and is an independent, self-governed 501(c)(3) focused entirely on the needs and interests of school attorneys – all the legal practice support, none of the politics.

No! Our national organization includes attorneys from around the country, representing school district clients with every conceivable political viewpoint. We have clients with nuanced views, and we believe our work should always be nonpartisan.

No! We truly started from scratch – all volunteers. Some of us work at state associations where we have a little more bandwidth to ask our employers for help. For example, we filed as a non-profit corporation in Oklahoma because the Oklahoma Association graciously volunteered to act as NSAA’s fiscal agent. The Montana School Boards Association hosted our listserv and website when we first got off the ground. There are several other state associations and private attorneys who provided either in-kind or monetary support for NSAA. Now that we are regularly receiving dues, we are weaning ourselves off the state-level support. We took a big step in that direction in early June 2024, when we hired Sonja Trainor as Executive Director. Together our operations director, Cheryl Richardson, and Sonja ensure that NSAA operates independently, under the direction of its Board of Directors.

NSAA members have access to an active private online community where they can connect with peers across the country, discuss emerging legal issues, share practical resources and sample documents, seek input on challenging situations, and engage in meaningful conversations with colleagues who understand the unique demands of representing public schools.

Yes! In addition to NSAA's active private online community, members can also participate in specialized work-alike and practice-area communities, including In-House Counsel, State Association Counsel, Students with Disabilities, and the Civil Rights Forum, as well as state-based discussion groups that foster collaboration among attorneys facing similar legal and policy challenges. Designed to strengthen professional relationships and make knowledge-sharing easier than ever, the platform reflects NSAA’s commitment to supporting school attorneys with practical, peer-driven resources and a vibrant professional network.

YES!

We are keeping dues as low as possible given that NSAA is still a relatively new national organization. For 2026-2027, dues are $275 per attorney. Some state associations have volunteered to collect dues for their states and others will be sending in their dues payments directly to NSAA.

NSAA offers a network of school attorneys across the country working on our shared federal issues and a surprising number of overlapping state issues, sometimes giving all of us a preview of legislation or litigation before we see it in our own states. We have an online platform for keeping connected through the NSAA Community, regular virtual meetings to discuss emerging issues, webinars (free to NSAA members), and in-person and virtual conferences offering CLE credits, including legal ethics. Our first virtual conference was held in March 2025 and our fourth in-person conference will be in St. Louis, Missouri October 14-16, 2026. For the first time, we’re offering a 1.5-day School Law Boot Camp in conjunction with that conference!

Yes! NSAA partners with other national organizations to file amicus briefs -- four in the Supreme Court for its October 2025 term -- and to offer public comments on issues affecting public school districts. NSAA is a respected and sought-after national voice on legal issues affecting public education. Members participate in our advocacy efforts through an advisory committee and through writing and reviewing opportunities.

Membership in NSAA is open to licensed attorneys who are actively representing on a regular or continuing basis a public school district, a state school boards association, or a public junior or community college which is a member of a state school boards association. The NSAA board may grant associate member status to law students and others per policy.

If you have any questions about membership, please contact Executive Director Sonja Trainor at strainor@nsaa.legal or Operations Manager Cheryl Richardson at crichardson@nsaa.legal.