MICHAEL W. PRAIRIE, CEO, is a practicing lawyer who has specialized for more than 20 years in representing both public and private schools and colleges in connection with a wide variety of issues including accreditation and licensure, faculty and staff relations, compliance with state and federal statutes, governance, risk management and student relations, as well as administrative charges and litigation. This background has led to his ongoing focus on preventive law in education, including the preparation and review of policies, legal audits and counseling for his clients. Prairie is a partner in the law firm of Stephenson Worley Garratt Schwartz Garfield & Prairie. Prairie received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara (1973, with honors) and his Juris Doctor from the University of California at Davis (1977) where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. Prairie was an Associate Editor of the U.C. Davis Law Review (1976-77) and has authored several articles in legal journals including the Higher Education Law Bulletin and served as a panelist and lecturer for numerous classes and seminars in his field.

TIMOTHY K. GARFIELD, Editor in Chief, is a practicing lawyer who has specialized for more than 25 years in the representation of school districts and colleges in all legal matters relating to their operations, transactions and litigation. Garfield actively incorporates preventive law principles into his education law practice. Garfield is a partner in the law firm of Stephenson Worley Garratt Schwartz Garfield & Prairie. Garfield received his Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California (1971), where he was Managing Editor of the Southern California Law Review (1970-71), and was elected to Order of the Coif. Garfield serves on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Education Achievement. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Cogswell Polytechnical College in Sunnyvale, California. He is a member of the California Council of School Attorneys and the National Association of College and University Attorneys.