The Akron Board of Education voted on Wednesday to hire the law firm Bricker Graydon to oversee the ongoing investigation into misconduct by Superintendent Michael Robinson and other administrators.
The cost was not immediately disclosed, but Board President Carla Jackson said a resolution to approve the contract would be presented at a public board meeting in the near future.
The law firm Brennan Manna and Diamond is still doing the fact-finding and document review in the investigation, but Bricker Graydon will oversee the investigation and act as the liaison between the board and Brennan Manna and Diamond. Bricker Graydon is also the entity that will pay Brennan Manna and Diamond, who is subcontracted by the new firm.
“Investigators have started interviews and document review,” Jackson said on Wednesday. “No deadline has been established, so the investigators can take the time they need to conduct a thorough, impartial and independent view of this matter.”
Bricker Graydon has a dedicated group of attorneys on its K-12 education team. The firm specializes in collective bargaining, employee misconduct, board governance and policy development, among other education areas, according to its website. The firm has eight offices, including locations in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton.
