Joseph Lilly

PARTNER

JOSEPH P. LILLY received his Juris Doctor degree from St. John's University School of Law in 1992 and his B.A. from Fordham University in 1989. Upon graduation from law school, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office from 1992 to 1996, where he prosecuted numerous cases involving a variety of criminal charges. In 1997, Joe entered private practice where he worked on behalf of a number of insurance carriers investigating and litigating cases involving insurance fraud, and defended personal injury lawsuits. From 1999 until 2008, Joe maintained a solo practice, working in the area of criminal defense. He has tried numerous cases in both the criminal and civil courts.

Joe joined Frazer & Feldman, LLP in 2008 and became a Partner in 2018. Joe has handled a wide variety of cases involving student discipline, student residency issues, staff discipline and general litigation. Joe conducts more than 100 student discipline hearings a year and has successfully handled the defense of numerous appeals of discipline matters to the Commissioner of Education. Joe counsels our school district clients at manifestation determinations. He has handled multiple complex proceedings pursuant to Education Law 3020(a), relating to the discipline of tenured teachers and has also prosecuted many matters pursuant to Labor Law § 75, as well as litigated public sector arbitrations.

Joe works with our clients on matters including:

o    Negotiating Collective bargaining agreements for all units (custodians, food service workers, teacher aides, paraprofessionals, teachers, administrators)
o    Impasse, mediation and fact finding
o    Freedom of information law requests FERPA requests
o    Grievances
o    Applications to PERB for confidential/managerial designation
o    Drafting side letters and stipulations of settlements related to bargaining units
o    Civil Service Law Section 71 and 72
o    Workers' compensation
o    FMLA issues and eligibility
o    Tenure and probationary questions
o    Individual employment agreements for non-aligned district employees
o    Retiree health insurance agreements
o    Title IX training

Joe frequently presents on numerous topics at school law conferences.  His presentations have included:  "Addressing Gangs and Drugs in Schools"; "Social Media and Student Discipline"; "Dignity for All Students Act"; "Trends in Negotiations, Past Practice and Mandatory Subjects and Impact Bargaining"; "Collective Bargaining Do's and Don'ts"; "Impact of Social Media on Discipline of Students and Employees"; "Disciplinary Proceedings in Cyberspace"; "Alcohol and Drugs in the Workplace"; "DASA, FAPE and TK:  The Acronyms of Bullying".