William J. Blaha graduated from Michigan State University and received his Juris Doctor degree from Wayne State University Law School. Mr. Blaha’s expertise has been concentrated in representing educational institutions in the specialized area of labor relations and education law. William J. Blaha co-authored The Michigan Teacher and Tenure with Gary J. Collins, with the Eighth Edition released in 2017. Mr. Blaha also co-authored The Michigan Teacher and Administrator Evaluations in 2016. Mr. Blaha was lead counsel in a landmark Michigan Supreme Court ruling (Michigan Gun Owners, Inc and Ulysses Wong v Ann Arbor Public Schools and Jeanice K. Swift, July 27, 2018) that upheld Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Board Policy prohibiting visitors from “open carry” at school except permitted by law.
Mr. Blaha was awarded the Lawyers of Distinction “Recognizing Excellence in Labor Law” for 2020, and was named as the President of the Michigan Council for School Attorneys for both the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years.
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
- Admitted to the State Bar of Michigan
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
- 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
EDUCATION
- Michigan State University (B.A., Business/Marketing)
- Wayne State University Law School (J.D.)
LEGAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Labor / Employment Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan
- National Council of School Board Attorneys
- Michigan Council of School Board Attorneys
- Michigan Negotiators Association
- Michigan Association of School Personnel Administrators
- Michigan Association of School Boards
PRESENTATIONS
- Current Issues in Collective Bargaining
- Legal Issues/Educator’s Use of Social Networking Sites
- Michigan Teacher Tenure Evaluation/Discipline
- Legal Issues in School Safety
- Freedom of Information Act, Personnel Files and Open Meetings Act
PUBLICATIONS
- Co-Author of the 1993, 2002, 2009 and 2017 editions of the Michigan Teacher and Tenure
- Co-Author of the 2016 edition of The Michigan Teacher and Administrator Evaluations
