Laura E. Hemmer
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 clients and friends of the firm. On February 10 & 11, 2010, attorneys from the firm’s Illinois school law team conducted their annual School Law Seminar. The seminar took place on the campus of Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville on Wednesday, February 10th, and at Rend Lake Resort and Conference Center in Whittington, Illinois on Thursday, February 11th.
Crucial legal topics addressed at this year’s school law seminar covered the spectrum from board governance issues, to personnel matters, to student issues. The presentations including the following: Update on Key Changes to the Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Open Meetings Act; RIF’s – Statutory and Procedural Compliance; RIF’s – Bargaining Obligations and Strategies; Avoiding Disability Discrimination in Extracurricular Activities, A Game Plan for Dealing with Coaches & Other Stipend Positions; and Running in the Race to the Top. The seminar was co-sponsored by twenty regional offices of education and nearly 100 administrators from across the state attended. As always, the seminar was provided free of charge, and also included a complimentary lunch.
Tueth Keeney is proud to be one of the largest education law practices in downstate Illinois. 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.
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 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.
D. Shane Jones practices in the areas of labor and employment law, education law, and litigation in both Missouri and Illinois. He routinely advises and represents employers in wage and hour matters, in the design and review of employee handbooks, and disciplining and terminating employees. Shane has also successfully defended employers against discrimination claims, First Amendment claims, Due Process claims, and other constitutional issues, in both state and federal courts.
Shane also practices in the area of collective bargaining and labor relations. He is experienced in crafting proposals and counter-proposals, and in effectively presenting the employer’s position at the collective bargaining table. He has directly negotiated, or participated significantly behind the scenes, in the negotiation of more than fifty collective bargaining agreements under the National Labor Relations Act, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and in the “meet and confer” process under the Missouri Public Sector Labor Law.
Shane is a Vice-Chair of the Missouri Bar Labor & Employment Law Committee, an author of the “Prevailing Wage” chapter in the most recent Missouri Employee-Employer Law Desk Book, and a co-author of the “Employment Law” chapter in the most recent Missouri Bar School Law Desk Book as well as its most recent supplement. Shane has been a Tueth Keeney shareholder since January, 2003.
Anwar M. Johnson practices primarily in the areas of education, litigation, labor and employment law. He has experience handling a variety of civil litigation matters, representing clients in state and federal courts in both Missouri and Illinois. During law school, Anwar served as President of the Black Law Student’s Association and was Associate Managing Editor of the Global Studies Law Review.
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.