Amy Kosanovich Dickerson

Amy represents educational institutions, including public school districts, charter schools, private schools and higher education institutions, in a variety of general education law matters.  Amy counsels clients in the areas of special education, student rights, student discipline, school board policy and governance, and a wide range of labor and employment matters.  Amy represents public school districts in individual educational program (IEP) meetings, due process matters, and residency and discipline hearings.  She also represents clients in state and federal court litigation and before the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and various Illinois state agencies.

Prior to joining the firm, Amy served as the law clerk for the Honorable Morton Denlow, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Northern District of Illinois.  During law school, Amy was a Child Law Fellow with the Civitas ChildLaw Center, the executive editor of student articles for the school’s Law Journal and senior editor of the Children’s Legal Rights Journal.  Amy received awards for Leadership, Service and Pro Bono Recognition while at Loyola, and awards for highest grade in Constitutional Law, Legal Writing, and Family Law.  Prior to attending law school, Amy taught fifth and sixth grades in the District of Columbia Public School System as a Teach for America Corps Member.

Amy is recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in Schools and Education (2012 and 2013). Amy is an active member of the Illinois Council of School Law Attorneys and the National Council of School Law Attorneys.  She is also a member of the American, Illinois State and Chicago Bar Associations.  She also serves as a faculty member for Loyola’s Childlaw Trial Practice course, and has previously served as a legal writing professor.

Amy was quoted by SpecialEd Connection, a widely recognized resource for the education industry, on the guidelines under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the ADA Amendments Act.  Additionally, she was quoted in the May 2010 issue of Section 504 Compliance Advisor.  She authored “One Family in Two Courts: Coordination in Illinois’ Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts,” 37 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 571-615 (2006), “The Social Impact of Schools on Adolescent Mental Health” (B.A. Thesis), and co-authored “Child Welfare Consent Decrees: Analysis of Thirty-Five Court Actions from 1995-2005.”  She is also presenting at the 2013 NSBA Annual Conference on “When is Enough Enough? Responding to Bullying Complaints in 2013.”

Amy participates in various community interest initiatives with Franczek Radelet, and leads the Firm’s Education Law Practicum program with Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Amy enjoys running and participating in Chicago’s various races to benefit children and youth organizations.  She also stays busy keeping up with her twin daughters.

Publications

• Recent PAC Rulings Find University and Park District in Violation of Open Meetings Act
• New OCR Guidance Lays Out School District Responsibilities to Serve Students with Disabilities in Athletics
• White House Gun Control Proposals Include School Safety and Mental Health Initiatives
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Events

• Federal School Safety Initiatives
• When is Enough Enough? Responding to Bullying Complaints in 2013
• Implementing the Vision: Strategies for Creating Lawful, High Quality, and Cost-effective Early Childhood Collaborations
• Legal Issues for Special Educators
• Cyber-Bullying Prevention
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