Merry Rhoades
Robert L. JackstadtMinimizing legal risks to its clients is an important focus of Tueth Keeney. To minimize a client’s legal risks, Tueth Keeney attorneys often present in-services for its clients. Tueth Keeney is proud of its commitment to the advising and educating of school administrators on the complex and ever changing legal issues facing public schools.
On August 8, 2005, Robert Jackstadt and Merry Rhoades conducted an in-service for Edwardsville Community Unit School District No. 7. Rob and Merry’s presentation was titled Litigation Lessons Learned. They discussed with school personnel a number of relevant topics such as Memorializing Contacts and Conversations, Record Maintenance, Meetings and Record Keeping.
Robert Jackstadt is a founding Shareholder of the Firm of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt P.C. Prior to founding the Firm, Rob was a partner at Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin in its St. Louis office. Rob serves on the Firm’s Management Committee. Rob is a former member of the Edwardsville School Board, a former trustee and planning commission member for the Village of Glen Carbon and is currently the Mayor of the Village of Glen Carbon- a part time position.
Rob practices in the areas of commercial, construction and education litigation. Rob has tried to a conclusion many jury and non-jury cases in federal and state courts located in Illinois and Missouri. Rob’s trial experience includes litigation involving tax increment financing (“TIF”) districts, equipment leases, condemnation, construction, performance and payment bonds, non-competition agreements, securities and mechanic’s liens. Rob has negotiated many construction contracts, including architect agreements, construction manager agreements, and general contractor agreements.
Merry C. Rhoades focuses her practice on general counsel services with an emphasis on special education law and student-related issues, school district reorganization matters and tax and finance matters. Because of her more than 20 years experience in representing Illinois public school districts, she has key insights regarding the day-to-day operation of the school district. She has extensive experience in special education administrative hearings, civil rights litigation, state and federal court litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and state administrative hearings.
Merry is an active member of several school related organizations. She is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys Executive Committee and currently serves as its 1st Vice Chairperson and she is a service member to the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA). She serves as an Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) PRESS advisory committee member. Merry has been asked to speak for such organizations as the Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education (IAASE), the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), the Illinois Principal’s Association (IPA) and the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) on numerous school related issues.
Tueth Keeney is proud to be one of the state’s largest Illinois education law practices. The firm has one of the most experienced groups of attorneys in Central and Southern Illinois dedicated to serving public schools. We regularly represent nearly 150 public school districts, including many districts in Central and Southern Illinois. Our Firm is also regularly appointed by insurers of educational institutions to represent districts in complex or difficult cases involving school or civil rights laws.