Robert S. Cloutier

Robert S. Cloutier serves as Counsel with Comegno Law Group, where he advises public boards of education and school administrators on governance and board advisory matters. He advises boards of education and school administrators on fiduciary responsibility, statutory compliance, executive session governance, policy development, and OPRA and OPMA obligations within highly regulated public institutions. His counsel focuses on aligning board governance, superintendent leadership, and administrative execution within disciplined decision‑making frameworks designed to withstand administrative and judicial scrutiny.

Mr. Cloutier brings a superintendent‑level perspective to his legal practice. Prior to returning to full‑time, active legal work, he served as a superintendent of a New Jersey public school district, where he oversaw multimillion‑dollar operations, collective negotiations strategy, regulatory compliance, and the work of a large professional staff. This experience provides practical insight into how board governance decisions translate into operational consequences for school administrators and educational institutions. Having collaborated extensively with legal counsel while serving in executive leadership, Mr. Cloutier brings an informed perspective on how legal advice is applied within the operational realities of public-school governance.

Mr. Cloutier is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He holds New Jersey education certifications as a School Administrator, Principal, School Business Administrator, and School Safety Specialist, in addition to secondary social studies teacher certifications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Within this governance framework, Mr. Cloutier advises districts on special education and disability law compliance under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Earlier in his career, he taught for more than a decade in special education inclusion settings and later served as a Section 504 Committee Coordinator, overseeing eligibility determinations, accommodation plans, manifestation determinations, and procedural safeguards. This experience provides direct insight into how disability law mandates function in instructional and administrative environments, including the importance of constructive relationships with parents and families.

Mr. Cloutier also advises boards and school administrators on employment and workforce governance matters arising under the New Jersey Tenure Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the ADA, and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD), including personnel discipline, leave administration, collective negotiations issues, and regulatory compliance affecting school district employees.

His professional experience spans classroom instruction, building administration, district‑level leadership in curriculum and professional development, and executive governance. Throughout his career he has worked closely with boards of education, administrators, educators, and counsel in navigating complex regulatory and operational issues affecting public school districts.

Mr. Cloutier earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University Beasley School of Law while working as a public high school teacher. He graduated magna cum laude from Temple University’s School of Education, earned a Master of Science in Management from Thomas Edison State University, and completed doctoral coursework in Educational Leadership at Arcadia University. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor teaching School Law in master’s‑level school leadership programs and participates in professional education leadership organizations, including the University of Pennsylvania Superintendents’ Study Council.

Mr. Cloutier’s advisory work reflects practical experience in public education governance and a commitment to helping school leaders navigate complex legal and operational challenges.