FLVS notifies board of outside counsel engagement and schedules closed litigation meeting in K12 appeal

Florida Virtual School's general counsel provided public notice that outside counsel have been engaged to represent the district and its officers in connection with a Rule 11 sanctions order and related appeals in the litigation FLVS v. K12.

General Counsel David Daggetta told trustees that the Creed & Gowdy law firm has been engaged for representation on appeal and that prior firm engagements on behalf of general counsel and a former assistant general counsel had concluded. He said expenditures for legal defense will be reported regularly to the board under board policy and Florida statutes.

Daggetta announced a litigation "shade" (closed) meeting to discuss litigation strategy and expenditures under section 286.011(8) of the Florida statutes, referencing the district-court case number 620CV02354 and an 11th Circuit appeal number 26‑12806. He listed anticipated attendees (board chair, chair pro tem/cochair, trustees, CEO, deputy general counsel, general counsel and several outside-counsel attorneys from multiple firms) and said a certified court reporter will transcribe the closed session; that transcript will be made part of FLVS's public record after litigation concludes.

"Notice is hereby given that this litigation shade meeting will take place shortly...Consistent with 286-0118, the shade meeting will be transcribed by a certified court reporter, and a copy of that transcript will be made part of Florida Virtual School's public record after the litigation is concluded," Daggetta said. The board did not take action in open session on litigation strategy during this meeting beyond the notice.