Atlanta, GA – Erica Harrison Arnold recently joined Parker Poe’s office in Atlanta, Georgia, where she will focus her practice on advising K-12 education clients across a broad range of legal and operational needs. With 14 years of experience advising public entities and contractors, Erica understands the practical demands facing school boards, superintendents, administrators, and educators.
Erica’s work includes governance-level guidance on policies, regulations, and agreements; strengthening transactions with affiliated boards and intergovernmental agencies; and advising district leaders on procurement, records, and requirements under Title VI (equal opportunity), Title VII (employment), Title IX (sex discrimination and harassment), McKinney-Vento (homelessness), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (disability), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
“We are thrilled to have Erica join our team. Her experience advising school district leadership, coupled with her deep understanding of the day-to-day challenges facing public education, makes her a terrific fit for our practice,” said Education Practice Group leader Suzann Wilcox. “She brings exactly the kind of practical, thoughtful perspective that we value and that our clients deserve.”
“This firm has amassed such strategic, dynamic talent in the Education Practice Group.” Erica said. “I was attracted to its deep commitment to meaningful solutions and the firm’s reputation for practical legal representation of schools and school districts, across the spectrum and sizes of traditional public, charter, private, and higher education clients. Returning to legal services makes sense for me among these remarkable attorneys. I am thrilled to continue this practice here in Atlanta.”
Before joining Parker Poe, Erica served as executive director of legal compliance and in-house counsel for Henry County Schools, one of the largest school districts in Georgia. As a member of the district’s cabinet, she advised the superintendent and senior administrators while leading teams responsible for legal and compliance matters. She began her legal career as a regulatory and litigation attorney at one of the country’s 50 largest law firms. Earlier, she served as an elementary educator in a metro Atlanta school district through Teach For America. Erica’s title at Parker Poe will be counsel.
Erica earned her law degree from Harvard Law School. She attained a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School and a separate master’s degree in education leadership from The Broad Center. Erica received her bachelor’s degree from Hampton University.
About Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP
Parker Poe is a business law firm that advises clients on the decisions that define them and the moments in between. Rooted in the Southeast, the firm is committed to providing exceptional client experiences and practical solutions, with the national and international reach to serve clients wherever their business takes them.