Merry RhoadesAttorneys from Tueth Keeney often contribute their time and talents on a voluntary basis to statewide educational organizations. Tueth Keeney attorney Merry Rhoades presented on the topic of the Illinois Open Meetings Act at a retreat held for Board Presidents on May 5, 2007 at the Touch of Nature near Carbondale, Illinois. Merry discussed the details of the Illinois Open Meetings Act with a focus on keeping the Board of Education in compliance with the procedures for conducting an open meeting. the changes to the Illinois Open Meetings Act. In her presentation, Merry also discussed recent legislative changes to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, including the new definition of “meeting” and electronic communications.
Merry C. Rhoades is a Shareholder in the law firm of Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C. A graduate of the DePaul University College of Law and MacMurray College, Ms. 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. Ms. Rhoades also has extensive experience in civil rights litigation, special education administrative hearings, state and federal court litigation at the trial and appellate levels, and state administrative hearings. She is a member of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys Executive Committee and currently serves as its 2nd Vice Chairperson. Ms. Rhoades also participates in the Illinois Council of School Attorneys”™ special education concerns committee. She is also a speaker for school related organizations including the Illinois Association of School Boards and the Illinois Association of School Administrators. She also serves as an Illinois Association of School Boards PRESS advisory committee member.
Tueth Keeney has one of the largest and most successful education law groups in the country. The Firm regularly serves the legal counsel needs of approximately 150 school districts throughout Missouri and many districts in Central and Southern Illinois. Our education attorneys have broad experience in every important area of education law, including human resources, teacher termination and discipline, teacher tenure, student rights and responsibilities, special education, school finance, the No Child Left Behind Act, construction, architecture, real estate, contracting and leasing, open meetings and records, policy development, vocational education, elections, tort issues, insurance, and general educational issues. We also have extensive experience in resolving disputes between school districts and parents of disabled students under both IDEA and Section 504 in both Missouri and Illinois. Our special education experience spans the spectrum from basic administrative proceedings through complex litigation.