Laura E. Hemmer
Merry RhoadesTueth Keeney attorneys, Merry Rhoades and Laura Hemmer, conducted a two day in-service for educators in South Macoupin County. The in-service took place on August 5th and August 6th, 2008, and provided Back-to-School information on the Ins and Outs of Compliance with IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Merry and Laura specifically focused on writing a defensible IEP, the disciplining of a special education student, responding to parent provided evaluations, and response to intervention.
Minimizing legal risks to its clients is an important focus of Tueth Keeney. To minimize 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.
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), theIllinois Principal’s Association (IPA) and the Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB) on numerous school related issues.
Laura E. Hemmer practices primarily in the areas of education law. She represents public entities with respect to employment and termination matters, special education issues, student discipline and student rights, civil rights and church/state issues. During law school, Laura served as a legal intern with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
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.