Amy Brandt is a Partner in Liebert Cassidy Whitmore’s San Francisco office where she provides advice and counsel to clients in all matters pertaining to education, labor, and employment law. Amy works closely with community college and school district boards and administrators on various issues including HR matters like investigations, employee discipline, leaves, contracts, evaluations, layoffs and workforce reductions. In addition, Amy represents schools and public agencies in matters including arbitrations, defending claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, advising on Public Records Act compliance. Amy regularly represents clients before the California Civil Rights Department, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, California Office of Administrative Hearings, California Public Employee Relations Board, the Office for Civil Rights, and the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Amy also has a breadth of experience supporting Districts on student matters including discipline, appeals, and civil rights issues.
Amy has extensive experience providing counsel on matters related to governance, labor negotiations, contracts, Board self-evaluation, Chancellor/Superintendent evaluations, Brown Act compliance, policies and procedures, ethics and conflicts of interest.
Amy also serves as lead negotiator for clients at the bargaining table. She has experience drafting and reviewing CBAs and MOUs, as well as managing bargaining unit grievances, including responses, mediations, arbitrations, and settlements.
Amy regularly trains on a variety of topics, including: EEO Hiring Strategies and Compliance; Preventing Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation; Employee Discipline; Student Discipline; Special Education/Section 504; Mandated Reporting; Performance Evaluations; Layoffs; and Professional Boundaries.
Amy is passionate about special education and supports schools in these matters, including advising and representing districts at IEP meetings, assessment and eligibility issues, manifestation determinations, and in due process hearings.
Amy is on the board of the California Council of School Attorneys.
Prior to joining LCW, Amy worked at the Office of the General Counsel for the Oakland Unified School District. She graduated cum laude from San Francisco State University where she was a Presidential Scholar and received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.
Recognitions
Amy has been honored by Super Lawyers as a Northern California Rising Star in 2022 – 2024.
Amy has been selected as Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch in 2023 and 2024 for Litigation – Labor and Employment.
