Sydney Peterson Fortmann

Sydney is an associate in Gallagher’s Employment and Education Groups.

Sydney’s education practice includes representing colleges, private high schools, and the parochial school system in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.  Sydney assists the firm’s education clients with policy and handbook development and review, student discipline, student disability issues, Title IX compliance, contract review, and various other education law issues.

Sydney also advises a variety of employers on all aspects of the employment relationship, routinely handling discrimination, harassment, and retaliation charges. Sydney counsels the firm’s employer clients on issues related to reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, FMLA and leave issues, overtime/wage disputes, progressive discipline and termination, and internal investigations. She reviews and revises employer policies and handbooks. Sydney understands the unique business needs of nonprofit organizations and regularly advises clients on entity formation, corporate governance, and tax exemption.

After law school, Sydney served as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable J. Mark Coulson of the U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Professional Memberships

• Trustee associate for the Board of Trustees at Notre Dame Preparatory (2021-present)