Our friend in the law.

AASA has been most fortunate over the years to have a gracious friend in Maree Sneed at the noted Washington, D.C., law firm of Hogan & Hartson. Maree specializes in education case law and she has regularly shared her rich spring of knowledge of legal developments affecting K-12 education with our association and its members.

On multiple occasions Maree has invited AASA to sign on to amicus briefs at no expense and delivered numerous presentations at our conferences, including a recent web-based seminar, pro bono. As AASA staff members have found, she always seems available to answer questions about cases gaining national exposure.

Her latest contribution to AASA shows up in this issue--an article (page 30) that explains the not-so-obvious implications of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on desegregation practices in the Louisville, Ky., and Seattle school systems. Because the court did not issue its ruling until the final day of the session in late June, Maree was forced to do her writing under deadline pressure imposed by this editor. In spite of the quick turnaround required, she produced the usual clear interpretation of the case's immediate impact in ways that would be most meaningful to our readership.

Maree didn't come to the task unexpectedly. She's been a dues-paying AASA member since early in her professional life when she worked as a high school principal and central-office supervisor in Montgomery County, Md. After making a career switch, she learned her craft under former Hogan partner David Tatel, now a federal appeals judge, who also had a relationship with AASA. She combines the best traits of both professions in her contributions today to our organization. We are grateful for that.

Jay P. Goldman

Voice: 703-875-0745

E-mail: [e-mail]

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