As a licensed teacher, Aleks’ passion for education runs deep and is at the core of her work with clients. She knows that every client, like every student, requires a unique and individualized approach to optimize success.
Aleks counsels K-12 and higher education clients on investigations, litigation and compliance matters arising from a wide range of civil rights and educational funding issues. These include Title IX, Title IV, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Educational Records Privacy Act (FERPA).
Aleks conducts investigations in response to internal and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaints following alleged student or employee misconduct involving criminal activity, minors on campus, sex, race, age and national origin discrimination. She works closely with institutions, spending time on campuses and conducting interviews, to preemptively isolate potential issues and design measures that promote equal access and diversity.
Education law is a niche practice that is only getting more specific, and Aleks knows responsiveness and transparency are a must. If issues escalate, clients trust Aleks for her extensive litigation experience, including serving as first chair in federal and state jury and bench trials, as well as first chair federal appellate court proceedings. Aleks invests time to build strong relationships with clients, so she can understand their individualized risks and craft solutions that are right for them.
Prior to joining the firm, Aleks worked at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the General Counsel under Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in Washington, D.C., and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in Den Haag, Netherlands.