Paul C. Kalac

Paul C. Kalac, Member of the Firm, concentrates his practice in the areas of education law, public sector labor law and administrative law. He represents public boards of education in all areas affecting their operation, with a focus on special education law and labor negotiations.

Paul has practiced school law for over twenty-two (22) years with specific emphasis on special education law and labor negotiations.

In the area of special education, Paul has appeared countless times before the Office of Administrative Law in the State’s three (3) vicinages located in Trenton, Newark and Atlantic City, New Jersey. He has tried scores of special education cases to their conclusion for the legal benefit of the respective boards of education he represented. Paul has also participated in hundreds of mediation sessions throughout the State. As such, he has a distinct advantage in that he is fully familiar with the Mediators’ styles to reach resolution of disputed matters. Paul has capitalized on those styles during mediations to reach settlements that are beneficial to his clients and the education of the child at issue.

Paul has lectured frequently for the New Jersey School Boards Association, NJAPSA, NJASA, and NJPSA. He has also presented several all-day special education seminars with the New Jersey Schools Insurance Group. Such all-day presentations included mock mediation sessions and mock due process hearings. Paul’s involvement in special education matters is extensive, and he uses that experience to guide his clients in legally sound and educationally-wise decisions.

Paul has also been involved in several Section 504 disputes as dozens and dozens of appearances before the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights and the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Regarding labor negotiations, Paul has successfully negotiated over 200 successor collective bargaining agreements between his clients and local teacher, administrative, and support staff units. Paul’s experience has led him to negotiating multiple collective bargaining agreements with several school districts in eighteen (18) of the State’s twenty-one (21) counties. Additionally, Paul serves as labor negotiator exclusively to school districts throughout the State.

He negotiates frankly and fairly. The strategies employed to reach a deal are not only beneficial to the District, but also harmonious to the working relationships between the Board of Education and the local associations. He interjects levity into the sometimes awkward process of negotiations, and his approach is always professional without the need for any unnecessary criticism of the other party’s positions.

As part of this area of work, Paul has been involved in mediations and fact-finding sessions during the negotiations’ process. Paul also practices public sector labor law. He has represented school districts in approximately one hundred (100) arbitration hearings before the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission.