Fighting for the rights of students and their families since 2009

Experience

For over a decade, Alexis Casillas has represented students with disabilities and their families in educational-rights litigation at all levels, from administrative hearings to proceedings in federal trial and appellate courts. She has deep experience with every aspect of special-education practice, from helping parents navigate the IEP process, representing clients in mediation and settlement, trying cases in administrative hearings, and challenging (or defending) administrative decisions in federal court.

Although she primarily represents clients in special education proceedings, Ms. Casillas understands that a student's issues in the classroom may be compounded by other aspects of his or her life, and she has cultivated the legal expertise necessary to help her clients face a full spectrum of issues. She represents her clients using a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses all of the legal issues that may impact her clients' lives: special education, dependency and custody, criminal and juvenile justice, access to medical and mental health services, conservatorship, and more. Ms. Casillas also has an extensive network of attorneys, experts, advocates, and service providers to whom she can refer clients with specialized legal or educational needs. 

A graduate of Columbia Law School, Ms. Casillas was selected as a Rising Star in her field of practice by Super Lawyers in 2017. She holds leadership roles in local, regional, and national non-profit organizations that work on behalf of individuals with disabilities. She is currently a Chair of the Amicus Committee and a Member of the Board of Directors for the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, the oldest and largest network of parents, attorneys, and advocates working to protect the civil rights of students with disabilities. 

Admissions

United States Supreme Court

California Supreme Court

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Central District of California

Northern District of California

Eastern District of California

EDUCATION:

Ms. Casillas attended and received her J.D. from Columbia Law School.  She spent her 3L year at Stanford Law School. 

Ms. Casillas served as a judicial extern in the chambers of the Honorable Kim Wardlaw of the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Casillas attended Wellesley College and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago.

WORK HISTORY:

LAW FIRM OF ALEXIS CASILLAS: As a solo practitioner, Ms. Casillas has obtained one of the largest compensatory education awards ever issued by the Office of Administrative Hearings in California. She has set significant federal precedent regarding exceptions to the statute of limitations governing IDEA cases.

LEARNING RIGHTS LAW CENTER: Ms. Casillas served as the organization’s Legal Director from February 2021-July 2022

NEWMAN AARONSON VANAMAN: Until 2017, Ms. Casillas worked on hundreds of IDEA, Section 504, and ADA cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings, the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Casillas has also worked at the following governmental agencies on disability-related cases:

• New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (participated in forums on disability access for public transit)

• Department of Health and Human Services (worked on Medicare and Medicaid access issues)

• Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office (worked on issues regarding testimony by individuals with language disorders or intellectual delays)

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVOCACY:

Ms. Casillas has a long history of volunteer work with nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups. Below is a list of some of the groups Ms. Casillas has worked with as a volunteer:

• Civitas Member

• Southern California Leadership Network Fellow

• White House Fellow Regional Finalist

• Stanford's Youth and Education Law Project

• Villa Esperanza School and Services

• Best Buddies

• Autism Speaks

• Advocates for Children of New York

• The Autism Legislation Project.

• ACLU of Southern California