Office of General Counsel

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

 

The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) manages the legal affairs of the District.  Our attorneys serve as legal advisors to the Board of Education and support District administrators in considering the legal, policy and procedural implications of District transactions, programming and other initiatives throughout the District.  We also are available to answer questions of District leadership in support of their being responsive to staff, parent and community requests or concerns. Other responsibilities include but are not limited to:

  • collaborating with principals and Department leaders or their designees to ensure compliance with legal mandates and develop policies, regulations and procedural guidelines

  • investigating complaints of discrimination, harassment or retaliation believed to be based on one's race, gender, religion, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation, marital or parental status or other legally protected categories

  • contract drafting, negotiations and reviews

  • managing the defense of the District in administrative and legal complaints

  • addressing Freedom of Information Act requests

  • participating in collective bargaining negotiations

  • providing training to District staff on legal matters & obligations associated with their work streams

  • providing legal opinions to the Board of Education and Superintendent or their designees

 

The Office of the General Counsel is located in Lincoln Center adjacent to the Superintendent’s suite.  Current members and their general areas of responsibility are: 

 

  • General Counsel  

Kathryn Vander Broek, Esq./LCSW, [email protected], o: 224-303-1167

  • Primary areas of responsibility:  Board matters; policy development; litigation management; Operations and Academic divisions, general matters; student matters; employment and labor relations; OGC Department oversight.

  • Deputy General Counsel  

Joseph Clary, Esq., [email protected], o: 224-303-1033 

  • Primary areas of responsibility:  contracts; business & financial matters (procurement, liability/insurance and risk management, budgetary matters); workers compensation; legislative affairs.  Also serves as the interim Title IX/Nondiscrimination Coordinator.

  • Deputy General Counsel & Title IX/Nondiscrimination Coordinator  

Vacant 

  • Primary areas of responsibility:  Title IX and nondiscrimination complaints; student matters (general and special education; MS and HS student records requests); employment matters; labor relations. 

  • Paralegal/Executive Administrator/FOIA Officer  

Alina Hernandez, [email protected], o: 224-303-1017

  • Supports all OGC staff and serves as the District’s FOIA Officer.


If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to address them in the first instance with your supervisor, who will determine whether legal support from the OGC is appropriate.  Complaints of discrimination or harassment, however, may be reported directly to the Title IX/Nondiscrimination Coordinator or a Complaint manager, consistent with the Board’s Uniform Grievance policies 2110 (general) and 2111 (Title IX, Sexual harassment).  


For more information on what we do, please view the General Matters page.
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