About

Emily advises clients in a wide range of education law matters, including student discipline, contract and policy drafting, and employment questions. She regularly defends districts before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. She routinely serves as lead negotiator in bargaining with teachers, non-teaching school staff, and municipal employees. Emily also has extensive experience with public records and public meetings questions, both under the Ohio Sunshine Laws and the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Emily’s practice also includes advising on special education matters, including answering day-to-day questions regarding services a district is obligated to provide, drafting IEP documents, responding to due process complaints and defending districts in federal court against claims brought by parents under federal and state special education laws.

Emily has experience litigating on behalf of schools and other employers in discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination cases in state and federal court. She also frequently conducts investigations on behalf of employers into complaints brought by employees under internal harassment, discrimination and retaliation policies.

In addition, Emily is a frequent speaker at school law conferences and provides in-service training to administrators and staff members. She is a member of the Ohio School Board Association’s Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys, Ohio State Bar Association, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the D.C. Bar Association.

Recognitions

• Crain’s Cleveland Business, 2023 Crain’s Notable Leaders in Employment & Labor Law

Education

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D., cum laude

• Ohio University, B.S., summa cum laude

Admissions

• Ohio, 2013

• District of Columbia, 2015

• U.S. Dist. Ct., N. Dist. of Ohio

• U.S. Dist. Ct., S. Dist. of Ohio

Memberships and Affiliations

• Ohio School Board Association’s Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys

• Ohio State Bar Association

• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

• DC Bar Association