Advocate Mandy Gina Leigh

Mandy Leigh is a partner at the Leigh Law Group. She handles cases in special education, expulsions, suspensions, employment law, both public and private sector, and in education law. Mandy also represents consumers in In Home Support Services (“IHSS”) and Regional Center ISP’s, IPP’s and fair hearings.
Mandy represents hundreds of parents of children with disabilities, handles a range of complex special education matters and litigates matters in state and federal court. She has published decisions which have made significant and positive changes in special education law which includes but are not limited to C.T. v. Vacaville USD (retaliation for advocacy in the Eastern District of California), E.M. v. Pajaro Valley U.S.D. (eligibility for students with CAPD and why the snapshot rule is not applicable in eligibility cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals), Z.F. v. St. Helena USD (Northern District of California regarding settlement agreements and offers to settle) and S.D. v. Moreland U.S.D. (Section 504/ADA claims for failure to address intensive needs of a child with self injurious behaviors).Mandy’s experience in education law makes her unique in the field. She has successfully represented families in inter and intra district transfer issues, school attendance review board meetings (SARB) and expulsion hearings. She understands the suspension process and is often retained to challenge suspensions that are not based on fact or evidence.
Families and consumers often rely on Mandy for representation at Fair Hearings, IPP’s, IFSP’s and consumer-based services for IHSS. When families hire Mandy to work on their behalf, they feel confident that they have Mandy as an advocate on their side. Mandy is an attorney advocate who understands the importance of these services which foster the most independence in our communities for individuals who require them.
Mandy is also an experienced labor law and employment attorney. Her passion is representing public employees in disputes involving wrongful termination, collective bargaining issues, disciplinary matters, credentialing and retaliation. She also has experience representing employees who have been denied workplace accommodations but who may be entitled to them under state and federal law. She represents employees in administrative hearings, at mediation and in litigation both in state and federal court.Mandy is a strong attorney advocate at IEP meetings and Section 504 plan meetings. She has a long history of representing hundreds of Parents and children. She is known for having a straightforward approach that focuses on the child’s needs. She is a force when it comes to strategizing every step of the way as to how to accomplish the ultimate goal of learning and access to schools for all children. Parents appreciate that she takes the lead at these meetings ensuring that no stone is left unturned when it comes to providing quality education for children with special needs. She is the go-to person for a variety of cases ranging from simple to complex and represents children in all categories of eligibility.
Setting her apart from many others is Mandy’s wealth of experience not just attending IEP meetings and Section 504 plan meetings, but she heads litigation in special education administrative due process hearings, the firm's law and motion practice in state and federal court and has appeared before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of children with disabilities. Mandy has also appeared in the state appellate court and has a keen grasp of when to take issues on appeal. She has obtained important published opinions and has obtained favorable settlement outcomes for her clients.Mandy speaks nationally and speaks for the Council for Parents, Attorneys and Advocates annual conferences. She is often called upon to speak to Parent organizations, Non Public Schools and Agencies and provides training on special education compliance through blogs and social media.