Kriha Boucek - What Sets Us Apart

Your Partners
in Education
Providing innovative, proactive and cost-effective legal services

A
MAKING
DIFFERENCE
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Our firm prides itself on service to the education community
in more ways that just providing traditional legal work. We
start with a practice model rooted in servant leadership. We
look for ways to give back to our clients and communities.
We often ask clients - and non-clients - how we can help,
and we seek opportunities to connect school districts to
people that can help expand district resources. We teach
classes, sponsor classes through Donors Choose, and plan
various service projects with our clients. Finally, we directly
employ transition students from local high school district
every semester through the vocational work program.

Our Insights
FRIDAY RECAPS
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
NEWSLETTERS

Our Attorneys
EXPERIENCED, RESPONSIVE, PRAGMATIC

Meet the people who make the difference.
DEDICATED LEADERS IN THE EDUCATION FIELD
Our team is a powerhouse of experience.
We have gathered experienced school law
attorneys from across several firms to come
together and form Kriha Boucek. We are each
school law generalists and can handle nearly
any question a school district might have. We
pride ourselves in our experience so that we
can handle client needs in the most cost
efficient and expeditious manner possible. But
more than just experience, each of the people
here is a good and caring person. We are
passionate about education and about being
contributors to a better world. For us, this
practice is not just a business, it is a vocation.

Darcy Kriha
PARTNER
For Darcy, education law is personal.
She was the first person in her family to graduate from college let alone law school.
She has dedicated her career to representing boards of education and is widely
known in the field for her personal touch, creative and collaborative resolutions,
volunteer work, and her enormous heart. Darcy specializes in issues related to
special education, student rights and student responsibilities, but she also has
extensive experience in general education law, board governance, collective
bargaining and employment.
In 2016, Darcy received the Vita Plena Award from Lyons Township High School
District 204 for her extensive volunteer work with the LT Transition Program garden,
which she helped design and install. Vita Plena represents the ‘quest for the fulfilling
life,’ LT’s century-old motto.
In 2006, Darcy was chosen as one of Illinois’ 40 under 40 attorneys to watch. She
earned this unique distinction in recognition of her exceptional lawyering skills in
the field of education law and her commitment to the profession.
darcy@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3782
Darcy earned her J.D. from the John Marshall Law School in 1992 and her B.A. in
Psychology, magna cum laude, from Mundelein College in Chicago in 1989. She is
admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of
Appeals, all federal District Courts in Illinois and is a member of the federal court
Trial Bar. Darcy and her family reside in La Grange, Illinois.

Sara Boucek
PARTNER
Sara commands every room she enters.
She is known for her direct advice and engaging personality. She started her career
representing Boards of Education, until being named General Counsel for the
Illinois Association of School Administrators. During her years at IASA, Sara
negotiated thousands of administrator contracts, advised the association on
policies and legislative initiatives, and represented the association on numerous
task forces and legislative matters. Sara assisted in drafting and implementing
many of the major initiatives of the last twelve years, including Evidence Based
Funding, the Education Reform Act, the Performance Evaluation Reform Act, and
student discipline reform. Sara is a sought-after speaker at state, local, and national
conferences on School Law, education reforms, and administrative employment
contracts. She is also an Affiliate Professor at Southern Illinois University.
In 2017, on the tenth anniversary of the Illinois Association of School Personnel
Administrators, Sara was recognized for her support of the organization and its
members.
sara@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3792
Sara earned her J.D. from Chicago Kent College of Law and her B.S. from Eastern
Illinois University. She is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois and the
Supreme Court o the United States, the Illinois Supreme Court, the United States
District Courts for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois. Sara and
her husband Matt live in Glen Ellyn, Illinois with their three children.

Kevin Gordon
PARTNER
Kevin is a steady presence.
He can help make a client comfortable in the most difficult situations. While many
school attorneys have become specialists within our field, Kevin has the breadth of
experience to advise clients on most subjects. He has experience in special
education, student discipline, student residency, student records and
confidentiality, intergovernmental agreements, school finance, construction,
employment, labor, collective bargaining, business transactions, real estate, tax
objections, tax increment financing, and other general school law issues. He has
represented public school districts of all types for over 20 years, including 18 years
in Illinois.
Kevin is the past Chairman of the Illinois Council of School Attorneys and currently
serves as a member of its special education committee.
kevin@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3784
Kevin earned his J.D. from Southern Methodist University and his B.A. from
Vanderbilt University. He is admitted to practice in the states of Illinois and Texas,
and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Kevin and his wife Heather live with their son in
Western Springs, Illinois.

Stephanie Jones
PARTNER
Stephanie has education in her blood.
Her mother was a teacher, an elementary school principal, and her role model.
Growing up in an environment where education and equity are both core values led
Stephanie to the practice of school law, including labor and employment, litigation,
student matters, business workings, special education and Board Governance
matters. In 2017, Stephanie’s broad experience and pragmatic approach landed
her at the helm of the Illinois State Board of Education as its General Counsel and,
eventually, its Interim Chief Education Officer. While there, she gained an
unparalleled knowledge of the inner workings of the ISBE and a greater
understanding of what it takes to run a large governmental organization. She also
lead large scale initiatives, including a public inquiry into the special education
practices at the Chicago Public Schools.
stephanie@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3790
Stephanie earned her J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law and her B.A. in
Mass Communications from Benedictine College Kansas. She is admitted to
practice in Illinois and Missouri, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the
United Staes District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Illinois.
Stephanie and her husband Jeremy live in Crystal Lake, Illinois, with their young
son.

Laura Knittle
PARTNER
As a teacher, Laura learned the importance of building relationships.
She learned that she could use those relationships to maximize student learning. As
an attorney, Laura recognizes how important it is to build strong relationships with
clients to ensure they can trust her with their legal concerns. She takes the time to
learn a client’s climate and culture to guarantee her advice meets the school
district’s needs. Laura is focused on representing boards of education and special
education cooperatives in student and special education matters, including IEP
meetings, mediation, and due process, although she demonstrates expertise in all
areas of school law. She is a sought after speaker on a variety of education topics.
Laura is the former chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Education Law committee.
Laura earned her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and her B.A. in
French and English, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia. She is
admitted to practice in the state of Illinois, as well as the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois. Laura lives in Chicago, Illinois.
laura@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3783

Mohammed Lakhani
PARTNER
Mohammed embodies the firm’s value of servant leadership.
He understands that the client’s needs drive our advice and tailors his advice to
individual school districts based on their stated needs. Mohammed is highly
regarded for his counsel with school districts in contracts, compliance, labor,
employment, and student matters. He is experienced in contractual and
procurement matters, the Open Meetings Act, and the Illinois Freedom of
Information Act. Mohammed advises school district clients on employment matters
relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and
the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. He routinely conducts internal
investigations to help resolve Title IX discrimination, sexual harassment and
misconduct complaints.
Mohammed earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law, cum
laude, and his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northern Illinois University. He is
admitted to practice in the state of Illinois and the United States District Court for
the Northern District of Illinois. Mohammed and his family live in Villa Park, Illinois.
mohammed@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3785

Rob Swain
PARTNER
Rob started his legal career as a clerk for a Federal judge.
During that time, he assisted the judge in presiding over one of the last remaining
school desegregation cases. That experience launched his career as a litigator and
advocate in school law. Rob has devoted his career to problem solving, creative
solution, and representing school districts in litigation. In a career spanning more
than twenty years, he has represented school boards in cases ranging from civil
rights to vendor disputes to constitutional claims. Rob is an invaluable advisor for
internal grievance procedures and administrative hearings, all in the interest of
minimizing or avoiding litigation altogether. He has represented and counseled
schools through all manner of adversarial proceedings, ranging from internal
investigations to administrative agency actions to traditional litigation.
rob@krihaboucek.com
(630) 394-3788
Rob earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and his B.A. in
Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. He is admitted to practice in the
State of Illinois, as well as the United States District Court for the Northern and
Central Districts of Illinois and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Rob and his
wife Leslie live in Bolingbrook, Illinois, with their three children.

Cassie Black
ASSOCIATE
Most school lawyers found education law as a practice area.
But Cassie is unique. She is an educator who went to law school. She has 17 years
of experience in education as a school psychologist, assistant principal, director of
student services, and assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction. She
has worked with students and families in the role of educator from early childhood
through high school. Cassie has experience in a wide array of issues including
special education, student discipline and student rights and responsibilities. As a
former educator, Cassied understands the needs of clients and is able to help arrive
at student-centered solutions that blend best practices in education with legal
requirements. She remains an educator today as an adjunct professor both Loyola
University’s School of Education and its Law School.
Cassie earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Loyola University Chicago School of
Law. She additionally has an Ed.S. from the University of Northern Colorado, and
M.A. from Roosevelt University, and received her B.A. from Augustana College.
Cassie lives in Chicago, Illinois.
cassie@krihaboucek.com
(630) 332-0469

Elizabeth Kelly
ASSOCIATE
Elizabeth is a natural school lawyer.
You would expect nothing less from the daughter of a superintendent and a public
educator. Growing up, the cadence of the school year formed the cadence of her
life. She watched and learned as her father managed Board meetings, community
relations, negotiations, finances, and student concerns. In her practice, Elizabeth
uses her own real-word experiences from growing up immersed in education to
provide clients with real world, pragmatic advice to help solve their problems.
Elizabeth’s practice areas include finance and business transactions, board
governance issues, and student and special education matters.
Elizabeth earned her J.D. from the University of Illinois and her B.A. from the
University of Illinois, Springfield. She is admitted to practice in the States of
Missouri and Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
Elizabeth lives in Carlinville, Illinois.
elizabeth@krihaboucek.com
(618) 215-2659

Our Offices
OUR OFFICES DON’T FEEL LIKE TRADITIONAL LAW FIRMS

OUR HOMES REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE
OAK BROOK TERRACE, IL

OUR HOMES REPRESENT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE
EDWARDSVILLE, IL