Leigh Law Group-Protecting Your Rights

  Practice Areas:

• Litigation in Special Education
• Education Law
• Special Education Law
• Expulsions and Suspensions of Students
• Labor Law Matters
• Employment Law
• Civil Rights
• Civil Litigation
• Higher Education Law
• Disability Rights

Mandy Leigh

Mandy G. Leigh, is a mother, wife and law partner at the Leigh Law Group. She is an experienced state and federal civil rights, labor law and special education attorney who has dedicated the majority of her law practice to representing children and families across the state of California at IEP meetings, special education Due Process Hearings and before state and federal tribunals for civil rights violations including but not limited to Section 504, ADA and retaliation claims.

Ms. Leigh has been on the committee for Special Education for California’s Office of Administrative Hearings and speaks nationally on issues pertaining to special education and education law including but not limited to the Council of Parents and Attorney Advocates. She is also an active member of CAPCA the California Association for Parent- Child Advocacy.

For over a decade, Ms. Leigh developed a reputation of being one of the top and most sought after attorney advocates because she knows the law and emboldens her clients by staunchly defending them in the face of clear abuses. She develops a clear strategy for her clients from start to finish so they never have to ask or worry what to expect about their case. Her passion for the work she does is obvious and moreover, with Ms. Leigh at your side, you have an organized, dedicated and strong advocate who knows the law and better yet, works toward solution-oriented remedies that literally changes the lives of her clients for the better. Absent resolution, Ms. Leigh’s experience in administrative proceedings and in state and federal court allows her to present your case when necessary to a judge. You can feel confident that her appearance in court means your voice gets heard.

Ms. Leigh’s practice includes but is not limited to:

• Representing clients in a number of disability rights related issues such as Regional Center Fair Hearings, In-Home Support Services (IHSS) appeals and Disability Retirement related issues.
• She reviews special education and school records, develops comprehensive mediation and settlement agreements, works in special education related matters from start to finish including identification of eligibility, identification of FAPE violations, attendance at IEP meetings, attendance and oversight of all aspects of mediation and due process filings and appeals of special education matters under state and federal law to state court and federal jurisdictions.
• Disciplinary hearings including but not limited to expulsion hearings, suspensions and employment investigations.
• Litigation of federal and state rights matters including but not limited the wrongful termination and discrimination in employment, ADA, Section 504, Section 1983, Unruh and the Disabled Person’s Act.
• Oversee associate attorneys and legal administrative staff.
• Regularly speak at national speaking engagements in education law matters ranging from special education to education related issues such as bullying, expulsion and discrimination.
  

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications, University of Florida, 1993.
• Juris Doctorate, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center, May 2002.
• Masters of Education Law, Franklin Pierce Law School, December 2003

Professional Affiliations

• CAPCA – California Association for Parent and Child Advocacy.
• COPAA- Council of Parent and Attorney Advocates
• Former Member of the California Advisory Commission on Special Education

Court Admissions

• Admitted Supreme Court of California, 2003.
• Admitted United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (2003).
• Admitted United States District Court – Northern California (2003).
• Admitted United States District Court– Eastern California (2003).
• California State Bar (2003).

Representative Cases

• Student v. Liberty Union High School District, OAH Case No. 2017020873 (OAH July

2017)- lead counsel in obtaining significant relief for student with dyslexia.

• L.H. v. Mill Valley Sch. Dist., 67 IDELR 259 (N.D. Cal. 2016) – prevailed in due process

on behalf of a child with Down Syndrome when student was not educated in the least

restrictive environment and later received important federal court holding that Student

had right to pursue Section 504 and other civil rights claims for unlawfully discriminating

against student.

• E.M. v. Pajaro Valley USD, 2011 WL 2714168 (9 th Cir. 2011) – oversaw all aspects of

drafting briefs, drafted briefs, supervised associate attorneys in civil rights appeal and

conducted oral argument, obtained favorable opinion in the area of special education.

• Z.A. ex rel. K.A. v. St. Helena USD, 2010 WL 37033 (N.D. Cal. 2010)- drafted all briefs,

supervised all aspects of oral argument and law and motion, conducted oral argument,

prevailed on significant issue impacting settlement agreements between schools and

families.

• Orterry v. Mt. Diablo USD, 2008 WL 948363 (Cal. App 1 Distr. 2008) – represented

special education student in an inappropriate restraint matter and obtained favorable

decision for client on appeal.

• J.M. ex rel. J.M. v. Vacaville USD, 2007 WL 2344903 (E.D. Cal. 2007) – obtained relief

for disabled student pursuant to state and federal law, oversaw all briefing, supervised all

associate attorneys and conducted oral argument.