Our Attorneys:

Partner - Paul C. Minney

Paul Minney (pminney@smymlaw.com) is a partner of the law firm of SPECTOR, MIDDLETON, YOUNG & MINNEY, LLP (SMYM) in Sacramento. SMYM’s thirteen attorneys dedicate their practice exclusively to charter school law. The firm’s attorneys provide legal counsel to over 250 charter schools as well as businesses and organizations providing support services to charter schools within the state (e.g., CCSA.).
Mr. Minney has been involved in the charter school development process since the adoption of the Charter Schools Act in 1992. Mr. Minney has drafted charter petitions, memorandums of understanding, nonprofit corporate and tax applications, bylaws, leases, employment contracts, personnel policies, and other ancillary documents necessary to successfully operate a charter school.

In addition, Mr. Minney has litigated many issues regarding the Charter Schools Act of 1992 (SB 1448) and has represented and defended many charter schools in court and before administrative agencies (e.g., the State Board of Education and PERB). Some of Mr. Minney’s successful litigation includes: Ridgecrest Charter School v. Sierra Sands Unified School District  (establishing a charter school's right to a contiguous school facility under Proposition 39); Alianza Charter School v. Pajaro Valley Unified School District (establishing a conversion school’s right to legal counsel); BASIS v. Sunol Glen Schooll(establishing a charter school’s right to continuous funding from its granting agency notwithstanding a dispute on ADA); Aurora Charter School v. Sequoia School District (establishing charter schools’ rights under Proposition 39 to facilities); and Evenson v. Barber (establishing charter schools’ rights under the California labor laws).

Mr. Minney is a frequent speaker at CCSA and CSDC sponsored events throughout California and his firm conducts annual workshops in Northern and Southern California on all aspects of charter school law. Mr. Minney has penned many articles on charter school law published in CSDC Charter Currents and CCSA Charter Journal and CSDC Charter Currents. Mr. Minney is also the President of the Coyote Creek Learning Fund, a nonprofit public benefit corporation 501(c)(3) supporting organization he helped establish to support public education in his local community.

Mr. Minney graduated cum laude from the Seattle University School of Law in 1993 and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of California, at Berkeley in 1987. Mr. Minney is formerly an appointed member of the State Superintendent’s Charter School Advisory Committee. Mr. Minney is currently a member of the CCSA Charter Schools Legal Defense Fund Advisory Committee.