Attorneys: Susan Ansberry

As head of the Educational Organizations Practice Group, Susan represents independent schools in a wide range of matters, including compliance with state and federal education and employment laws, student discipline issues, disputes with parents and third parties, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and mandatory reporting of suspected abuse. She is a trusted advisor to heads of school, business officers and boards of trustees, with extensive experience assisting schools managing critical challenges. Susan regularly provides training to faculty, employees and trustees on issues ranging from mandated reporting, identifying and preventing child abuse,  sexual harassment, accommodation of students and employees with disabilities, risk and crisis management and board governance.

In her labor and employment practice, with thirty years of experience in employment litigation, Susan focuses a substantial part of her practice on pre-litigation and transactional-related counseling, including the development of policies and the review of human resources and payroll practices. She has advised clients on a wide range of topics including employee discipline and discharge; reorganizations; sales of businesses and mergers; compliance with contracts, collective bargaining agreements and state and federal laws concerning discrimination, harassment and accommodation of individuals with disabilities; labor relations; workplace safety; and wage and hour requirements.

In addition to her work representing our clients, Susan is a frequent presenter to clients, industry groups and conferences on topics important to independent schools and employers. She has presented to the California Independent School Business Officers Association, the Bay Area Teachers Training Institute, and the Annual Nonprofit Compensation and Benefits conference.

Susan received her law degree (Order of the Coif) from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law in 1985. She graduated from the University of Santa Clara (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa) in 1982, with a degree in English. She has been a member of the California Bar since 1985.