Gretchen M. Shipley

A highly regarded education technology law leader, Gretchen Shipley guides school districts and other organizations in California and nationwide on artificial intelligence, data privacy, school social media management, cyber security and safety issues and on the promotion of cyber-citizenship in the school community. As chair of the firm’s eMatters practice group, Gretchen has emerged as a thought leader on cutting-edge topics at the intersection of law and cyberspace. These include the support of hundreds of school districts and county offices of education in the development of AI guidelines and serving as co-counsel for the California School Board Association as a real party in interest in a school board social media case before the U. S. Supreme Court.

Gretchen also delivers training to district leaders and staff on an array of matters including responsible use of social media, the acquisition process of new technology, evaluation protocol for software agreements and the business aspects of school technology. She also represents private companies and schools in the education software sector.
With broad knowledge and natural problem-solving skills, Gretchen draws on her school business law background to also advise on a wide variety of procurement, facilities, and governance issues. Her litigation and administrative hearing experience in civil rights, school construction and employment law enhances her ability to draft board policies and staff handbooks and counsel school organizations through employee investigations and disciplinary processes. Several clients retain Gretchen as their general counsel, including California IT in Education, or CITE, and its 1,000 school-district members.

A popular and in-demand public speaker on education technology, artificial intelligence, social media management, data privacy and other topics, Gretchen frequently makes presentations in education and law conferences, symposia, seminars, webinars and trainings on a state and national level. The organizations she partners with in this capacity include CITE, California School Board Association (CSBA), Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), and California Association of School Business Officials (CASBO).