Legal implications for school counselors will be discussed in 10 primary court rulings that guide the legal work of counselors in schools. Highlighted areas include but not limited to sexually active students, bullying, academic advising, child abuse, educational records, sexual harassment, first amendment rights, and transgender youth. The goal is to facilitate participants’ legal literacy and provide guiding principles to support best ethical practice. Topics to be discussed through the lens of school counselors as defendants in negligence cases are child abuse reporting, student suicide ideation, academic advising, FERPA, PPRA, verbal and written communication, and others.

School counselors must negotiate the competing interests of the overregulated school environment, student’s need for confidentiality and the legal rights of parents to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives. Updates on these competing interests will be discussed through court rulings and the new 2022 ASCA Ethical Standards. Legal rulings and ethical practice will be highlighted in areas such as sexually active students, bullying, academic advising, child abuse, educational records, sexual harassment, first amendment rights, and transgender youth. Particular attention will be given to recent changes in federal, case, and state laws to facilitate participants’ legal literacy and provide guiding principles to support best ethical practice.