Merrick A. Wadsworth

Senior Counsel

Contact Me

Services & Specializations

Admissions

California

Address

525 B Street, Suite 2200, San Diego, CA 92101

Office Tel.

619.906.5753

Fax

619.398.0159

Overview

Merrick focuses on advising nonprofits, charter schools, and public agencies on a variety of issues regarding governance, entity formation, contracts, conflicts of interest, real property acquisition, and a variety of other operational issues. Merrick regularly advises charter school clients on the Brown Act, California Public Records Act, and relations with charter authorizers, and also assists with new charter submissions, appeals, revocation proceedings, and renewals. He also has experience assisting with various phases of civil litigation and appeals. Merrick regularly provides trainings on topics such as the Brown Act, Public Records Act, avoiding conflicts of interest under the Political Reform Act and Government Code section 1090, and new legislation impacting clients in the education sector. He previously was a law clerk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of California, Civil Division where he assisted on cases involving bankruptcy, employment, and medical malpractice issues. Prior to law school, Merrick worked as a substitute teacher in all grade levels at the Kings County Office of Education.

JD, California Western School of Law, magna cum laude (Distinguished Advocate Award, Academic Achievement Award)
BA, University of California, Los Angeles

Co-presenter. “Title IX Training,” CCSA webinar, January 29, 2025.
Co-presenter. “Preparing Your Charter Renewal: A Hands-On Summit,” CSDC Conference, Sacramento, CA, November 20, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Essential Charter School Policies: 2024-25 Edition,” CSDC Conference, Sacramento, CA, November 19, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Catch Up on 2024-25 Title IX Training,” webinar, September 4, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Title IX Training,” webinar, July 31, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Two-Part Series: Charter Renewals,” webinar, May 21st & 22nd, 2024.
Co-author. “New Title IX Regulations: What’s Changing for California TK-12 Schools?” April 25, 2024.
Presenter. “Essential Charter School Policies,” CCSA Conference, Long Beach, CA, March 19, 2024.
Presenter. “Completing Your Form 700: An Annual Workshop for Code Filers,” webinar, February 6, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Complimentary Title IX Training for Charters,” webinar, January 31, 2024.
Co-presenter. “Title IX Training & Handling Tough Complaints: Strategies for Meeting Legal Requirements while Defusing Escalating Situations,” 2023 CSDC Conference, Anaheim, CA, November 8, 2023.
Co-presenter. “Best Board Meeting Ever: 2023,” 2023 CCSA Conference, Sacramento, CA, March 15, 2023.
Co-presenter. “Essential Charter School Policies: 2023 Edition,” 2023 CCSA Conference, Sacramento, CA, March 14, 2023.
Co-presenter. “Title IX Training for Charter Schools,” by Greta Proctor & Merrick Wadsworth, May 17, 2022.
Co-presenter. “Essential Charter School Policies – Updated for 2022,” 2022 CCSA Conference, March 16, 2022.
Co-presenter. “Material Revisions, MOUs, and Authorizer Policies: Challenges for Growth,” March 16, 2022.
Co-presenter, “Best Board Meeting Ever: 2022 Edition,” 2022 CCSA Conference, March 15, 2022.
Co-presenter. “Essential Charter School Policies,” 2021 California Charter Schools Virtual Conference, March 18, 2021.
Co-presenter. “Best Board Meeting Ever: 2021 Virtual Edition,” 2021 California Charter Schools Virtual Conference, March 18, 2021.
Co-presenter. “Conflicts of Interest: Beyond the Basics,” 2021 California Charter Schools Virtual Conference, March 18, 2021.
Speaker. “Form 700 Workshop and Q&A,” February 2, 2021.
Co-author, “Important New Charter School Rules You Might Not Be Prepared To Implement,” November 6, 2019
Co-presenter. Charter School Governance Training, hosted by the Ventura County Office of Education, Camarillo, CA, September 11, 2018.
Co-presenter. “Navigating the Rough Waters of Charter Renewals, Appeals, and Revocations,” 25th Annual California Charter Schools (CCSA) Conference, San Diego, CA, March 27, 2018.
Co-presenter. “Navigating the Rough Waters of Charter Renewals, Appeals and Revocations,” The 24th Annual California Charter Schools Conference, Sacramento, CA, March 22, 2017.
Co-presenter. “Brown Act & Public Records Act Training: Come Check the Box,” The 24th Annual California Charter Schools Conference, Sacramento, CA, March 22, 2017.