Marie-Laurence Fabian

As a member of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman's Litigation Practice Group, Marie-Laurence (ML) Fabian focuses her practice in education law and employment law, with a concentration in special education.  She has extensive experience counseling school boards, charter schools and private schools in a variety of issues that impact those clients daily.

ML has served the education community for over 30 years.  Through the years, she has become a trusted legal advisor to superintendents, business administrators and other school administrators as they deal with the many challenges they face on a daily basis.  She helps her clients with a large variety of matters, including contracts, public bids, labor and employment, and student issues.  ML counsels clients on the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) Law and the problems that arise during the investigations required by that law.

ML works closely with Directors of Human Resources to help resolve issues that arise with teachers and other employees, through a review of collective bargaining agreements or by providing advice on general employment law matters.  

Special Education is a major focus of ML's practice.  She advises Directors of Special Services as they navigate the many procedural and substantive issues involved in working with parents to create Individualized Education Programs for students. When disputes with parents arise, she helps to resolve the disputes through mediation. When mediation is not the solution, she represents the district in due process hearings before the Office of the Administrative Law, also handling any appeals in federal district court, as necessary.

ML forms close relationships with administrators based on trust, accessibility and responsiveness.  School administrators understand there are no questions too small to ask.  Working together, ML will help her clients through any problem, with the goal of moving forward.  

• New Jersey Association of School Attorneys
• Morris County Bar Association

• "You're on Mute! Optimizing the Performance of Your Remote Workers," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 20, 2021.
• "Managing COVID-related Workplace Accommodation Requests," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 27, 2020.
• "Are You Being Reasonable? Handling Requests For Accommodations," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 2019.
• "School Law for the 'Non-School' Paralegal," Paralegal Association of New Jersey's General Membership Meeting, Morristown, NJ, June 11, 2019. 
• "Conducting an Effective Internal Investigation," National Business Institute, Newark, NJ, December 7, 2016.
• "New Regulations, Legislation, And Case Law Impacting Your Business," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, November 15, 2016.
• "Lawfully Managing Student Records Without Violating Privacy Rights," National Business Institute, Newark, NJ, December 9, 2014.
• "New Regulations, Legislation, and Case Law Impacting Your Business," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, November 17, 2014.
• "Special Education, A Holistic Approach," Hopatcong, NJ, September 16, 2014.