Mackenzie “Mac” Woods is an associate at Osborn Maledon whose practice areas include education law, outside general counsel services, nonprofit governance, business transactions, open meeting and public records law, and administrative law.
Prior to joining Osborn Maledon, Mac served as Deputy General Counsel at BASIS.ed where he worked on large-scale matters such as the network’s expansion and school security, as well as day-to-day legal issues including labor and employment, student constitutional rights, business transactions, and brand management. His unique experience as an in-house attorney for a large charter school network gives Mac firsthand insight into the legal issues, both large and small, affecting his clients.
Mac’s experience in education is broad and deep, but his passion was ignited during his time as an eighth grade science teacher with Teach For America in Memphis, TN. There, he experienced just how important it is for zealous advocates to be in education and is why he decided to attend law school.
Once in law school, he began exploring what it would take to start a charter school himself. He was an inaugural fellow in the New Schools for Phoenix Fellowship at the Arizona Charter Schools Association, a Summer Leaders Intern with Building Excellent Schools, and the first-ever legal fellow at the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools. Having the privilege of seeing his colleagues start and lead quality schools, he decided his role in the movement is best served as an education attorney devoted to representing and growing high-impact schools.
During law school as a law clerk and then after law school as an attorney, Mac worked in private practice where he advised social enterprise clients on their nonprofit corporate and tax needs, as well as charter school clients on unique partnerships and expansion opportunities. He helped many school founders initially form their nonprofits and secure tax-exempt status, then later restructure as multi-school networks.
Mac loves the outdoors, especially paragliding and hiking, and can be found from time to time longingly staring skywards.
