Education Law Insights

Authors

Jackie Wernz represents public school districts, private schools and institutions of higher education, in a variety of general education law matters. She represents education institutions on residency, homeless dispute and discipline hearings, and advises clients on various issues arising under federal and state education law, including student constitutional rights issues, freedom of information act requests, and labor and employment issues. Jackie also litigates on behalf of clients in both state and federal court, and represents clients before the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the Illinois State Board of Education.

Jackie is an active volunteer with the Food For Friends program at Church of Our Saviour Episcopal Church in Chicago. She enjoys cooking and traveling. Prior to law school, Jackie studied abroad twice in Orléans, France, and in recent years she has traveled to Barbados, Bolivia, Corsica, Ecuador, France, Italy, Peru, Spain and Switzerland.

Professional Associations

  • Co-chair, Education Committee of the Young Lawyer’s Section, Chicago Bar Association
  • Member, Iranian American Bar Association
  • Member, Education Section, Illinois State Bar Association

Education

  • J.D., The University of Virginia School of Law, 2007
  • B.A., summa cum laude, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2004 (English, history and French)

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit


Brian Crowley has significant experience assisting school districts in all business affairs and transactions including contracting needs, real estate, leasing, and finance matters. Brian is a “go-to source” on matters relating to the Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, various general election law issues, school boundary issues and charter schools. Beyond school districts, Brian has represented other public entities including city councils, village boards, plan commissions and park district boards. This depth of local government experience gives Brian unique insight in assisting with intergovernmental cooperation and agreements between public bodies.

Brian served as associate counsel to the Illinois Speaker of the House for a legislative term. He was the primary attorney for the Local Government, Urban Revitalization, and Transportation Committees.

Brian resides in the Ravenswood area in Chicago and is a frequent runner, participating in 5K and 8K races throughout the City. He also enjoys traveling with his young family to destinations where he can participate in his favorite activities, which are hiking, kayaking and golfing.

Professional Associations

  • Illinois Council of School Attorneys
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • American Bar Association

Education

  • J.D., magna cum laude, University of Illinois College of Law, 1997
  • B.A., cum laude, Miami University (Oxford, Ohio), 1994 (history, political science)

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Illinois