education law association

What education law association does

The Education Law Association (ELA) is a professional membership association founded in 1954 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, that serves attorneys, academics, K-12 and higher education administrators, public officials, teachers, and students specializing in or studying education law. The organization explicitly positions itself as the "Big Tent" of education law, unifying K-12 and higher education, plaintiff and defense practice, labor and management, scholarship and practice under one membership umbrella. Its membership base spans the United States and Canada, with directory reach extending to Australia, Germany, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.

ELA operates a multi-product platform built on Naylor Association Management Software. Core deliverables include the Journal of Education Finance & Law (a peer-reviewed flagship indexed in Web of Science and Scopus with impact factor 0.2), the West Education Law Reporter (full-text education court case coverage since 1982 published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters/Westlaw), the quarterly Law & Policy in Schools magazine, authoritative books (e.g., A Guide to Special Education Law), webinars, a searchable member directory with geographic search, an online job board, and the Education Law Scholars Early Career Fellowship program. The annual conference, scheduled for its 73rd edition in Raleigh-Durham, NC in October 2026, anchors programming.

The business model is subscription-driven with six primary revenue streams: tiered annual membership dues ($75 student, $175 introductory/retired, $250 professional) that auto-renew; annual conference registration fees ($210-$815 per attendee depending on member status); publication and book sales; quarterly LAPIS magazine subscriptions ($38.80/year); multi-tier event sponsorships (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Champion); and charitable donations via the Legacy Fund and Mentors Matter program. The go-to-market motion is community-led, with membership acquisition driven by the annual conference, webinars, referral campaigns (Tell A Friend), and a multi-channel content strategy spanning blog, email, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn), and podcast-style Coffee Talks. ELA is governed by a Board of Directors, employs 1-10 staff, and is independently member-supported with no external investors or parent company.

Name

education law association

Legal name

Education Law Association

Website

https://educationlaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Education Law Association is a professional membership association founded in 1954 serving attorneys, academics, administrators, and students in education law. It delivers member-exclusive access to peer-reviewed journals, magazines, books, webinars, an annual conference, and a member directory across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association / Legal Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Law & Legal Studies (EDAGABAH), Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights) (EDAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Education law publications
• Professional membership association
• Education law conferences
• Peer-reviewed law journals
• Legal professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: ELA generates primary revenue through annual membership subscriptions with tiered pricing based on professional status. Professional members pay $250/year, introductory and retired members pay $175/year, and students pay $75/year. All subscriptions auto-renew annually.
2. Annual Conference Registration: The organization earns revenue from conference registration fees. 2026 Raleigh-Durham conference rates: Professional Member $525, Retired Member $440, Student Member $210, Non-Member $815.
3. Publications and Books: ELA publishes and sells educational books including 'A Guide to Special Education Law' (Second Edition) and 'The Principal's Legal Handbook'. Publications serve as widely used professional resources and textbooks in education law.
4. Law & Policy in Schools Magazine (LAPIS): Quarterly print magazine subscription at $9.95 per issue or $38.80/year for four issues with auto-renew.
5. Event Sponsorships: The organization generates revenue through conference sponsorship opportunities at multiple levels (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Champion) with recognition benefits in conference communications, newsletters, social media, and events.
6. Donations and Endowments: ELA accepts tax-deductible donations including the Legacy Fund (for contributors of $1,000+) and Mentors Matter program for honoring mentors. Suggested giving levels range from $50 to $1,000+.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Education Law Association is a nonprofit professional membership association that sells annual memberships, publishes peer-reviewed journals and practitioner books on education law, hosts an annual conference and webinars, and maintains a member directory and job board for education law professionals. Its offerings serve attorneys, academics, school administrators, and students across K-12 and higher education law.

Product overview

The Education Law Association operates a membership-based professional association with a unified platform (EducationLaw.org) that delivers publications, professional development, networking, and career services to education law professionals. The product portfolio centers on member-exclusive access to peer-reviewed journals (JEFL, West Education Law Reporter), practitioner magazines (LAPIS), professional books, webinars, annual conferences, a searchable member directory, job board, and early career fellowship program. All offerings are bundled under membership tiers ranging from $75 (student) to $250 (professional), with member-exclusive access to periodicals and resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ELA: Common abbreviation for Education Law Association used throughout the website and communications.
• Journal of Education Finance & Law (JEFL)
• West Education Law Reporter (WELR)
• Law & Policy in Schools (LAPIS)
• Special Education Legal Update

Products and services

• ELA Annual Conference Annual in-person conference bringing together education law scholars, attorneys, administrators, and practitioners for networking, learning, and professional development through dynamic keynote speakers, engaging workshops, and networking opportunities.
• Journal of Education Finance & Law (JEFL) Peer-reviewed journal of ELA advancing scholarship at the intersection of education, finance, and law. Member-exclusive access with impact factor of 0.2, indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and 50+ academic databases.
• West Education Law Reporter Legal resource compiling full-text opinions of selected state and federal education court cases from 1982 to present, published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters West and available through Westlaw.
• Law & Policy in Schools Magazine (LAPIS) Quarterly practitioner-focused magazine providing current news and practical insights on K-12 education law issues including student speech, employment, Title IX, and discrimination.
• ELA Books Authoritative volumes on education law including A Guide to Special Education Law (Second Edition) and The Principal's Legal Handbook, serving as scholarly resources and practical guides widely used as textbooks.
• Special Education Legal Update Periodical by Perry Zirkel highlighting major new legal developments in special education, focusing on student issues under IDEA and Section 504/ADA.
• Member Directory Online searchable directory of ELA members including attorneys, professors, administrators, and other education professionals, with search functionality by location, category, and name, including U.S. radius searches and international country searches.
• Job Board Online job posting and search platform for education law positions, allowing employers to post positions and job seekers to search and apply.
• Education Law Scholars Early Career Fellowship Fellowship program supporting professional development of early career scholars specializing in education law and policy, providing mentorship and constructive feedback on research.
• Webinars Online educational webinars covering current topics in education law, including free and discounted sessions for members, providing continuing education and practical legal analysis.

Quantifiable outcome

• Journal Impact Factor: 0.2 (5-year JIF: 0.4, SJR: 0.276)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Florida Gulf Coast UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional host for ELA's annual conference, providing venue and local support for the 2026 conference in the Raleigh-Durham area. Florida Gulf Coast University serves as a Platinum sponsor and institutional host for the Education Law Association's premier annual event.
• University of ArkansasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner and conference sponsor for ELA's annual conference. Supports the education law community through conference sponsorship.
• Brackett & Ellis P.C.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm partner and conference sponsor for ELA's annual conference. Represents the attorney practitioner segment in conference support.
• Texas A&M University - San AntoniominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner and conference sponsor for ELA's annual conference. Supports the academic and education community through conference sponsorship.
• University of North Carolina - CharlotteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner and conference sponsor for ELA's annual conference. Represents the higher education and academic community in supporting education law.
• University of FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner and conference sponsor for ELA's annual conference. Supports education law scholarship and practice through conference sponsorship.
• Thomson Reuters (Westlaw)coreTechnology or IntegrationWest Education Law Reporter (WELR) is published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters and available through Westlaw, extending ELA's reach to an international audience of law firms, law schools, and attorneys. WELR compiles full-text opinions of selected state and federal education court cases.
• Husch BlackwellminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor for ELA's 2025 annual conference. Law firm partner supporting the education law practitioner community.
• University of LouisvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilver sponsor for ELA's 2025 annual conference. University partner supporting education law scholarship and practice.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EducationLawAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/education-law-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about education law association