Attorney Supervisor

About this Job

Job Focus Area

The mission of the Legal Division of the Louisiana Department of Education is to provide staff of the department with well researched legal advice concerning federal and state laws and Board of Elementary and Secondary Bulletins and to perform various functions required by state and federal law. The division has an internal process for handling special education matters as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 USC sec.1400 et seq. to which two attorneys and an ombudsman are dedicated. We are looking for an Attorney Supervisor who has experience in laws and regulations pertaining to special education services in the educational setting and who is capable of coordinating and managing two other staff members in order to ensure that the schools and school districts within the State of Louisiana are properly complying with IDEA and the Louisiana Education of Students with Exceptionalities Act (LA. R.S. 17:1941 et seq.) and to effectively respond to and process complaints made by parents of students with exceptionalities and issue decisions on complaints in a timely manner.

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice law plus four years of experience as a practicing attorney.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties and Other Information

As the Supervisory Attorney, you will be directly supervising and coordinating an attorney and department ombudsman in the legal division for the following purposes:

• Managing a program and establishing a system of coordinating mediation, complaint receipts, issuing of notices relative to complaints to local education officials and parents and or representatives, investigation of complaints and issuing of decisions on complaints after review as required by state and federal law for purposes of ensuring compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Louisiana Students with Exceptionalities Act.
• Maintaining a process to advise parents of students with exceptionalities as to possible means of resolution with local schools and systems outside of formal complaints.
• Providing the Department of Education with legal advice relative to special education matters and developments.
• Maintaining contact with various federal agencies that monitor special education laws and process.
• Management of contracts entered into by the Department of Education in conjunction with the department special education program an serves as department liaison with contractors.
• Report to the Louisiana Superintendent of Education on a regular basis of complaints received and status.
• Support the Department of Education in all matters pertaining to education of students with exceptionalities.
• Report to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education on matters pertaining to education of students with exceptionalities as needed.
• Monitoring of Louisiana Department of Education website material for content pertaining to education of students with exceptionalities.

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.