Jessica assists in the representation of school districts, board members and administrators, as well as institutions of higher learning, on a variety of legal matters, including labor and employment, student discipline, academic affairs, internal investigations, governance and employee discipline/termination. Jessica also prepares legal alerts in the area of general education to ensure that school districts are up to date on current laws, regulations and guidance.
During her undergraduate studies, Jessica interned at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York under the supervision of the Honorable Charles J. Siragusa. During law school, she expanded her legal education through a range of experiences in the field. She served as a student attorney for the Family Violence and Women’s Rights Clinic, representing survivors of domestic violence. She also served as an extern at the Children’s Legal Center, assisting attorneys for the child with court appearances, client interviews and home studies.
Jessica completed the Pro Se Litigation Support Practicum at Erie County Family Court, where she conducted client intake for low-income individuals who could not afford legal representation. She also served as an intern with the Journey’s End Refugee Center, where she assisted attorneys with research, citizenship applications and client counseling. She later served as a law clerk at a Buffalo firm in the area of personal injury.
Jessica spent a semester studying in Rome, Italy, during which she completed an internship with the Bird & Bird International Law Firm. In that role, she assisted with legal research, writing and editing documents sent to English-speaking clients in the areas of contracts law and food law.
Jessica is a member of the Harris Beach Council on Inclusion and Diversity, a working group that advises firm leadership on events and initiatives in support of a more inclusive profession and society.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS + SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- Annual General Education Conference – Presented on Student Homelessness
- “Risk of Contracting COVID-19 Now Constitutes an Illness for Purposes of Obtaining an Absentee Ballot for 2021 School District Elections,” Harris Beach Legal Alert, May 2021.
- “Instruction to Prevent Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Sexual Abuse in Grades K-8,” Harris Beach Legal Alert, May 2021.
- “New York State Increases School District Sporting Activity Spectator Capacity Limits,” Harris Beach Legal Alert, May 2021.
