Timothy E. Gilsbach

Associate

610.397.6511

Tim focuses his practice on special education law and other legal issues—including education and employment law, labor practices and various litigation matters—that affect school districts, charter schools and intermediate units.

Clients turn to Tim for guidance on preventing or limiting potential liability claims in special education matters. When litigation is unavoidable, he rigorously defends clients in all phases of special education litigation, from state level administrative hearings to federal court appeals. Tim also counsels school entities on special education policies and procedures.

Tim has represented educational entities in various civil litigation matters and counsels clients in policy drafting, employment disputes and handling Office of Civil Rights investigations and right-to-know requests.

Representative matters Tim has handled include:

Successfully defended a school district against a claim for compensatory education and tuition reimbursement for a residential placement.
Obtained a finding in favor of a school district on all claims brought against it seeking compensatory education and tuition reimbursement for a private tutoring program.
Successfully defended an appeal of a hearing officer’s decision in favor of an intermediate unit before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Negotiated a favorable settlement for a school district in a claim where parents were attempting to seek a significant compensatory education fund.
Advised a charter school on the interplay between truancy and special education.

Before Fox Rothschild

Tim was previously associated with a regional law firm and focused his litigation practice in a wide variety of civil matters. His experience also extended to labor and employment law, education law and workers’ compensation.

While in law school, Tim served as a law clerk to the Honorable J. Wesley Oler, Jr. of the Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas.

Beyond Fox Rothschild

Tim is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Associations’ Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He has spoken to various groups in the region on special education and other education and employment issues.