Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda
EXPERIENCE: Elizabeth has been serving business, education and non-profit clients for over 20 years. She has garnered national respect from her peers across the country, and has been elected by her peers every year since 2007 for inclusion in Best Laywers in America® for her work in education. A former lobbyist, she also has extensive legislative experience, working with state and federal Senators and Members of Congress. Elizabeth is licensed in Nebraska, Iowa and to practice before the United States Supreme Court. She is a frequent presenter, author of many articles, and a former adjunct at Creighton University School of Law and the University of Nebraska, Omaha. Elizabeth brings strong compliance and investigative credentials as a former Loss Prevention Manager for a national corporation and as a former Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
PARTNERS AND LEADERSHIP: Elizabeth serves as Managing Attorney for the non-profit Education Rights Counsel. She is a Business Partner with the Non-Profit Association of the Midlands. A Past Chair of the National Council of School Attorneys, Elizabeth served on the Council for 11 years. She has also has served on the board of the National School Boards Association, as a member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, and on the editorial board of NACUANotes. She is also past President of the Nebraska Council of School Attorneys. She is on the Editorial Board of The Nebraska Lawyer, and serves on the Nebraska State Bar's Education Committee.
EDUCATION: A Cum Laude graduate of Creighton University School of Law, Elizabeth is fluent in French, has a Master's Degree in Foreign Language and Literature, and a Diploma from La Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE:
- Successfully represented a coalition of educational institutions in litigation to protect and preserve funding and boundaries.
- Regularly consults with nonprofit organizations to raise the visibility of students in poverty in the state political dialogue, assisting with legislation and regulatory issues.
- Provides comprehensive general counsel guidance to all aspects of public school district legislative negotiations.
- Drafted and obtained legislation to permit school-based health centers.
- Successfully defended multiple charges of discrimination before state and federal agencies resulting in No Reasonable Cause determinations.
PUBLICATIONS: include Chapter 1 - School Finance Litigation in Nebraska, Nebraska Coalition for Educational Equity and Adequacy v. Heineman in "A Quality Education for Every Child: Stories from the Lawyers on the Front Lines." Elizabeth is a regular contributor to the Nebraska State Bar's Lawyer magazine.
