Pete talks with Amanda Riegel (Excelle Women In Leadership) - Episode #3
Disclaimer: This content does not constitute legal advice. You should not act, or refrain from acting, based on the information provided without getting specific advice from your lawyer.
Episode#3 - How and when to use an attorney: In our third and final “TeachHer” conversation, Excelle CEO/Founder Amanda Riegel sits down with Peter T. Commons of Commons & Commons LLP to talk about something most school leaders discuss nearly enough – how to think about legal counsel before you actually need it.
The most important shift? Start thinking about legal counsel the way you think about a trusted advisor. That means calling before you act; not after. Oftentimes, a lawyer gets involved once a situation is running in a certain direction – contract terms have been discussed, the termination has happened, the parent sitting across from you is saying, “my lawyer told me…” And now you’re playing catch-up on someone else’s terms.
Amanda and Pete left us with a lot to think about but here are a few things worth considering long after closing the post:
- Prevention costs a fraction of litigation A brief conversation with legal counsel before taking action can change the trajectory of an issue.
- Knowing when to pause is a leadership skill School leaders need the confidence to redirect, table, or simply decline to comment until they’ve had time to consult. That’s not avoidance; that’s discipline around a process.
- Not all lawyers are equal. Cost matters in school budgets but the right question isn’t just “how much?” Do they have deep legal experience in education? Do they care about the problem? Do they have the skills to navigate the complexity of school life? That’s worth finding.
- Legal readiness isn’t about having a lawyer on retainer. It’s about knowing when to call legal counsel, what to share, and how to lead with clarity through the moment.
***********************
This series features candid conversations between Excelle Founder & CEO Amanda Riegel and Peter T. Commons of Commons & Commons LLP, a trusted advisor who has negotiated hundreds of head of school contracts and counseled leaders through complex topics such as school transitions and crisis response. In the videos, we pull back the curtain on: 1. Contract Negotiations – Compensation, timing, and terms including what boards can offer beyond salary when budgets are tight. 2. Head of School Transitions – How to support leadership change with clarity and integrity for both the leader and the institution. 3. Optimizing Legal Counsel – How to know when you need a lawyer and how to make the most of that support when it matters. These are conversations women in this work deserve to have and the series is built directly from real questions from our very own Excelle leaders. The conversations are thoughtful, practical, and designed to help women leaders feel more prepared and supported in their roles.
For more about the Excelle Women In Leadership Network, visit their website here: https://www.excelle.me/
If you have questions about this or other matters related to our practice areas, please click the Contact Us button to get in touch. We’ll be happy to speak with you.