Certification in Education Law: Benefitting Both our Profession and our Students By Usher L. Brown Trucking Insurance - The High Cost of Doing Business Opinion to Orange County Blue Ribbon Panel Email Legal Ramifications - By Suzanne D'Agresta, Esquire Florida Education Law - Volume 3 Issue 1 - September 2004 Commercial Landlord Tenant Disputes in Florida Opinion to Comptroller

Attorney Usher L. Brown of the Firm was requested by the Orange County Blue Ribbon Panel on Education to provide a legal opinion regarding the creation of a countywide elected chairman of the School Board of Orange County. The opinion addresses unique questions of school governance and was presented to the Blue Ribbon Panel on February 24, 2005.

The Firm represents Florida school districts and has significant expertise in education law. A shareholder in the Firm, Usher L. Brown, recently completed a series of seminars addressing 2 important federal laws that regulate the education of disabled students. These laws, IDEA and 504, confer specific rights in favor of disabled students. This seminar outline provides a detailed overview of the obligations and rights these laws establish, and compares the 2 laws. The article also discusses the legal issues involved with educational records. IDEA/504

The Firm represents numerous government entities and officials. Shareholder, Usher L. Brown, recently provided an opinion to the Comptroller of Orange County, Martha Haynie, regarding whether or not the redemption of hotel reward points are subject to the "sales tax" imposed both at the state and local level for short term rental lodging.This opinion was recently presented at a public workshop hosted by the Florida Department of Revenue. Hotel reward point programs are becoming standard in the tourism industry, and DOR is considering the adoption of rules that will regulate whether the redemption of points is a taxable transaction. The enclosed opinion presents the position of Orange County that the transactions are subject to taxation.