Laura Knittle is Co-Chair of the Education practice and a member of the Employment and Government Investigations & Enforcement Defense practices. Laura represents K-12 school districts in all areas of education law. A majority of her practice is dedicated to counseling boards of education and their administrations on student matters, including issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), alleged violations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, student discipline, student and employee investigations, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigations, and confidentiality and student records. She regularly represents school districts at mediation and in due process hearings.
- Featured, Take 6 steps to prepare for potential spike in 504 impartial hearings, Special Ed Connection, March 2025
- Interview, Considering Mask Fights, States May Hold Off on Making COVID-19 Vaccine Required School Immunization, ABA Journal, October 21, 2021
- Illinois Votes for Change: So What Kind of Changes Can We Expect?, The Illinois Public Employee Relations Report, Winter 2015
- Presenter, Navigating 504’s, IAASE Winter Conference, February 2025
- Presenter, Personnel Record Retention, IASPA HR Essentials, September 2024
- Presenter, Title IX: Implementing New Regulations, IASA Spring Legal Workshop, April 2024
- Presenter, Title IX Grievance Procedures, IASA Title IX Training and Resources, August 2024
- Co-Presenter, “Legal Jeopardy,” Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 27, 2023
- Co-Presenter, “Curriculum Opt-Outs: Parents’ Rights and Public School Curriculum,” Illinois Council of School Attorneys (ICSA) 36th Annual Seminar on School Law, Chicago, Illinois, November 18, 2022
- Co-Moderator, “Navigating the Stop W.O.K.E. and Don’t Say Gay Acts,” Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Chicago, Illinois, Virtual, October 28, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “Legal Updates for the 2022-2023 School Year,” Northeastern Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Vernon Hills, Illinois, September 2, 2022
- Panelist, “Cyber Risk Insurance: How to Ensure Your School is Protected,” The 6th Annual EdTech Conference for Independent Schools, Connect by Veracross Virtual Conference, June 23, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “A Workflow for Conducting Employee Investigations,” 2022 Illinois Association of School Business Officials Annual Conference, Schaumburg, Illinois, May 4, 2022
- “LGBTQIA+ Youth and Bullying: Understanding Issues and Addressing Solutions,” Lake County Regional Office of Education, Virtual Event, April 21, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “Labor and Employment During the Teacher Shortage,” Illinois Association of School Administrators, Legal Workshop, April 4, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “Cyber and Privacy Law for School Districts: An Overview of the Legal Issues and Risks,” Webinar, February 17, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “Legal Hot Topics,” Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) Fifteenth Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 21, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “Supporting LGBTQ+ Employees,” Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) Fifteenth Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 21, 2022
- Co-Presenter, “A Practical Guide to Navigating the Open Meetings Act,” Illinois Association of School Administrators Legal Workshops, Virtual Event, December 9, 2021
- “Supporting SEL: Legal Implications and Best Practice Considerations,” Virtual Seminar, IAASE Fall Conference, October 21-22, 2021
- Co-Moderator, “LGBTQ+ Youth and Bullying: Understanding Issues and Addressing Solutions,” National Stop Bullying Day Event, Webinar, October 13, 2021
- “From the Police Department to the School: Defining the Role of SROs,” ESIC Risk Management Conference, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, July 2021
- “What You’ll Be Glad You Did: Tips for Surviving a Due Process Hearing,” IAASE 20th Annual Winter Conference, Springfield, Illinois, February 2019
- “Dealing with Sexual Harassment in School Districts,” IASPA 12th Annual Conference, Lombard, Illinois, January 2019
- “Meeting the Needs of Students with Autism Through Compliant IEPs,” LRP Publications, National Webinar, December 2018
- “Disturbing the Peace: Handling Community Dissent in Public Schools,” National School Boards Association Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, April 2016
Admissions
- Illinois
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of Illinois
Memberships
- Chicago Bar Association
- Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association, Education Law Committee, Former Chair
- Illinois Association of School Administrators, Member
- Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education, Member
- Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators, Member
- Illinois Council of School Attorneys, Member
Community Involvement
- Legal Aid Chicago, Ambassadors Board
- Teach for America, Auxiliary Board Member, Former Second Grade Teacher, 2008-2010
Education
- J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2013
- B.A., magna cum laude, The University of Georgia, 2008
Honors
- Recognized on the Rising Stars list by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine (2021 – 2023)
Languages
- French