Search for "Goins et al v. Battle Creek Public Schools et al"

Lindsay Vance Smith has a strong personal commitment to education and the law. Before becoming a lawyer, Ms. Smith received a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from North Carolina State University and taught literature and writing at both the college and high school levels. She also spent several years working for an education law firm in South Carolina, where she assisted attorneys representing public school boards and school districts on a wide variety of legal matters, including most notably civil litigation and appeals, special education administrative processes, and charter school issues. These experiences instilled in her the importance...

Neal Ramee is a partner in the firm’s Education Section. He received his undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of Virginia and his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. While in law school, Mr. Ramee served as Managing Editor of the First Amendment Law Review and as an Honors Writing Scholar. Before joining the firm in 2005, he served for two years as a law clerk to Justice Mark Martin at the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Mr. Ramee has litigated cases in...

Rod Malone came to Tharrington Smith in 1989. He grew up in Raleigh and graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in electrical engineering in 1986. Mr. Malone earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989.

At Tharrington Smith, Mr. Malone’s practice concentrates on education and construction law. His education law work includes representation of local school boards in employment cases, policy development and student issues. He also specializes in construction litigation, public bidding issues, and condemnation.

Mr. Malone was admitted to the North Carolina State Bar in 1989. He is admitted...

Colin Shive received his undergraduate degree Magna Cum Laude from Clemson University in 2006 and his law degree, with High Honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2011. While in law school, Mr. Shive participated in the Community Development Law Clinic and was a research assistant for the Center on Law, Environment, Adaptation, and Resources. Mr. Shive was also a staff member and editor of the North Carolina Law Review. Prior to joining Tharrington Smith, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr. of the United States District Court for the...

Eva DuBuisson received her law degree with high honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 2007, and has earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. While in law school, Ms. DuBuisson was a Chancellor’s Scholar, a published staff member of the North Carolina Law Review and an Articles & Notes Editor for the First Amendment Law Review, and admitted to the Order of the Coif. She completed her undergraduate studies at Duke University, where she was a Trinity Scholar and received an...

Stephen Rawson earned his undergraduate degree in physics with honors from Duke University in 2005. He taught 7th grade science in Louisville, Kentucky for two years, during which time he earned a master’s degree from the University of Louisville. Mr. Rawson returned to Duke and earned his law degree with honors in 2010. During law school, he served as Chairman of the Moot Court Board and participated in the Appellate Litigation Clinic, where he successfully argued a criminal case before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Prior to joining Tharrington Smith, Mr. Rawson served...

Adam Mitchell graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University in 1998. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Mitchell taught third grade in East Palo Alto, California. During his time in the classroom, he earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of San Francisco. After teaching for three years, he was elected to the school board as part of a community-wide effort dedicated to improving student achievement and restoring fiscal stability. Mr. Mitchell served a four-year term on the board, and was elected president during his first year in office.

While serving on the school...

Deborah Stagner is originally from Missouri and received her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Kansas in 1992. Ms. Stagner attended the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was a published staff member of the North Carolina Law Review and earned her J.D. with honors in 1997.

Prior to joining Tharrington Smith, Ms. Stagner served for three years as a law clerk to Chief Justice Henry E. Frye of the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Ms. Stagner has been licensed to practice law in North Carolina since 1997 and is admitted to practice before all federal courts...

Melissa Michaud received her undergraduate degree in political science from Brown University in 2004. Upon graduation, she joined Teach For America and taught middle school for two years in eastern North Carolina. In 2009, she received her law degree, with high honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During law school, Ms. Michaud was a staff member and editor of the North Carolina Law Review, student lawyer in the Juvenile Justice Clinic, and member of the UNC Law Pro Bono Board. Upon graduation, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Louise...

Carolyn Waller joined the Education Section of Tharrington Smith in 2000. Her practice includes public school law, special education, and employment law, with particular interest in the areas of freedom of speech and the First Amendment, search and seizure in the school setting, due process, open meetings laws and public records issues, and election law. Ms. Waller is a member of the North Carolina Council of School Attorneys and the Education, Labor and Employment, and Constitutional Rights and Responsibilities sections of the North Carolina Bar Association. She is admitted to practice before all state and federal...

A native of Maryland and a former wrestler and wrestling coach, and now an avid rock climber, Jonathan Blumberg graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with an undergraduate degree in philosophy in 1982 and a law degree, with honors, in 1986. He served two years as a law clerk for Judge Eugene Gordon in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina before joining Tharrington Smith in 1988.

Mr. Blumberg's practice areas include representation of public schools and other educational institutions, employment law and litigation, and represents a number of school boards...

Mohamed AL-Hamdani came as a Refugee along with his family to the City of Dayton in 1992. At the time he was 10 years old. He is the second child of 6. Mohamed is graduate of Wright State University and he received his Juris Doctorate at the University of Dayton School of Law in 2013. Mohamed has dedicated himself to serving this community. He was elected to the Dayton Public Schools Board of education and began serving his first term January 2018. In 2021, Mohamed was inducted into the Dayton Business Journal Forty under 40 Hall of fame. Mohamed is...

A diverse skill set, the ability to empathize with client's issues, and a dedication to solving problems is the reason Jonathon Storment's clients speak so highly of his services. Jonathon is a tireless advocate for his clients and will fight to ensure that their legal issue is handled with the utmost competence and skill. Jonathon has been a decorated soldier in the U.S. Army, a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Treasury Department, an award winning accountant, and a public school administrator. Whatever position he held, he was one of the best in his field. "Some would call it a...

Dan Hohf graduated from Western Michigan University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History. While at WMU, he served as a Museum Technician at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Pennsylvania as well as at the Kingman Museum in Battle Creek, Michigan. He joined the Mike Morse Law Firm team in 2011 as a paralegal and eventually went on to earn his law degree from Wayne State University Law School in 2019. While attending law school, he remained employed at the Mike Morse Law Firm as well as served as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Edward...

First and foremost, I’m a regular Joe, just like anybody else.
I know what it’s like to deal with insurance companies when a loved one is suffering through expensive medical treatments. When I was growing up, my sister battled a serious illness, and my family had to fight constantly to get her the treatment and benefits she deserved.

No stranger to hard work, standing up for those in need, and giving back to the community, I spent over a decade working in and operating group homes for developmentally disabled adults and children before law school.

While attending Florida A & M University College...

Wisconsin native, Collin Mettelka, grew up in Green Bay. His mother is a public school teacher at Doty Elementary School and his father is the owner and operator of Jaymar Screen Printers, Inc.
Although Collin grew up in Green Bay, the Mettelka family has been part of the Vilas County community since 1938, when his Great-Great Grandfather, John J. Mettelka, built a cabin in Plum Lake, Wisconsin. Since that time, his family has maintained strong roots in Vilas County.
Collin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School. While obtaining...

Robert A. “Rob” Swofford grew up in Nassau Bay, Texas. He graduated from Clear Creek High School in 1983. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Baylor University, Rob graduated from South Texas College of Law in May 1994. During his time in law school, Rob received numerous awards for his academics. Imediately upon graduation Rob went to work for noted Criminal Defense attorney Dan Cogdell. In 2006, Rob was named one of Houston’s Top Lawyers in the area of Criminal Defense. Rob has personally tried cases to verdict at all levels of...

Ongoing Peer Education & Seminar Presentations: Co-Chair, 2010 HarrisMartin Louisiana Asbestos Litigation Conference Important Litigation Involvement: From 1987 to 1993, Mr. Blackwell defended numerous Fortune 500 and organizational clients in state and federal courts in Louisiana related to occupational diseases Since 1988, Mr. Blackwell has represented teachers and educational support personnel in all types of issues related to their employment Since 1993, Mr. Blackwell has represented individuals in all types of claims related to their employment, including: claims of discrimination (age, sex and disability) ...

Chris Micklatcher is the President of Fresh Start Tax Solutions, a tax resolution firm specializing in assisting small businesses and individuals with their tax problems. Mr. Micklatcher is licensed as both a Certified Public Accountant and Attorney and can be reached at Fresh Start Tax Solutions LLC, 7100 Tower Rd, Battle Creek, MI 49014. The telephone number is 269-969-9752. You can find his website at www.freshstarttaxsolutions.com.

Aimee Rankin Zundel founded Zundel Law in 2022. Prior to opening her own practice, Aimee was a Partner at Weiss Burkardt Kramer, a leading Pittsburgh education law firm. From 2008 to 2022, Aimee represented WBK's public school district clients. Aimee now uses that experience to benefit her own clients, with the same collaborative, student-centered approach she is known for. Aimee has represented clients at all levels of state and federal court, as well as administrative agencies such as the Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution, Office for Civil Rights and Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Aimee has expertly handled special...

Arizona family law attorney Debora Levine is an Arizona native. Growing up, she was active in Girl Scouts and studied Spanish and French. She took 3rd in the state in her French examination in high school. She attended ASU for undergraduate school. After graduating from ASU, Debora was a GED instructor for teen moms at Rio Salado. After her work at Rio Salado, she began working for a social services agency, Child and Family Resources. Debora was a life skills educator for teen moms. She then went back to school for her post-baccalaureate in education to become a public-school educator. Debora...

David M. Postic is a shareholder at the Oklahoma City law firm of Postic & Bates, where he focuses his practice on estate planning, asset protection, trust and estate administration, and elder law. He strives not only to provide clients with a thoughtful estate plan and the peace of mind it offers, but also to equip each client with the tools to make settling their affairs as simple as possible. Outside of practice, David teaches Wills & Trusts as a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he earned his law degree. He is also an active member...

Attorney Victoria V. Washington is the founder and owner of The Washington Law Firm PLLC in Southaven, Mississippi. She serves clients throughout north Mississippi. Ms. Washington has invaluable insight into the criminal justice system and understands how a criminal accusation or personal injury can affect you. She experienced her brother's wrongful conviction in 2003 and a near-death car crash in 2016, which fuel her passion for her clients. Licensed to practice in the state of Mississippi since 2014, Ms. Washington has represented criminal defendants in juvenile, circuit, municipal and federal courts, securing many favorable settlements, case dismissals, and not-guilty...

Ken Watkins is an accomplished trial attorney and Senior Shareholder with Sommers Schwartz. Over the course of his career, he has obtained numerous multimillion-dollar settlements on behalf of the clients he’s been proud to represent. His achievements include one of the largest seven-digit medical malpractice cases in Macomb County in 2008, and his election to membership in the exclusive Million Dollar Verdict Club.

Outside of the practice, Ken is known for giving back to the community. He has spoken on several occasions at the Detroit Public Schools Career Days; serves on board of directors for Urban Solutions, Inc., an organization dedicated...

Griffin O’Hanlon joined Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers as an attorney in the fall of 2015. He attended Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake for his freshman and sophomore years, before his parents relocated to Illinois. He returned to Virginia to attend Virginia Tech, where he majored in history. Griff obtained his J.D. from the Saint Louis University School of Law with a concentration in civil litigation.

After law school, Griff returned to Hampton Roads, where he practiced criminal law at the Norfolk Public Defender’s Office and a local private firm before joining Cooper Hurley and has extensive in-court litigation experience. Griff...

Mark is a partner at Abdnour Weiker, LLP where he focuses his practice on all aspects of school law, representing students, parents, educators and school employees. Mark formerly served as day-to-day and defense counsel to traditional public schools, but started representing students/parents/educators in 2014 when he co-founded the firm he currently manages. Mark represents students preschool through PhD in disciplinary and education issues, and represents school employees in school discipline, contract and separation issues, and for education licensure investigations conducted by the Ohio Department of Education. Mark has written and spoken on a variety of education-related topics including FERPA,...

Ken has practiced bankruptcy law for over 28 years in Georgia. Ken also is a part time Magistrate Court Judge for Gwinnett County. Ken is married with 2 children who attended Mill Creek High School and Georgia Tech. Ken served as President of the Mill Creek Band Booster Club and President of the Mill Creek Athletic Association. Ken is currently currently serving as the Director of the Gainesville Aid Project (GAP).

Hello! My name is Thomas Trent Harris and I go by my middle name, Trent. I was born and raised in Jackson, Michigan and went to the Jackson Public Schools, graduating from Jackson High School in 1995. I earned my bachelor's degree from Albion College in 1999 and my juris doctor degree from Chicago Kent College of Law in 2008. I am licensed to practice in Michigan and Illinois, and my law practice today is focused almost completely on estate planning for individuals, families, and business owners.