Leza Conliffe’s practice focuses on education law and the defense of school district litigation. Ms. Conliffe’s representation of local school boards and private schools includes the substantive areas of civil rights, claims against staff and school boards, Title VII, discrimination, employment, and special education and disability law. Prior to joining Blankingship & Keith, Ms. Conliffe was with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, where she provided legal advice on issues involving discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, age, and disability in violation of federal civil rights statutes. She has lectured on the availability of sovereign immunity as a defense, and given presentations to state vocational education coordinators on the requirements under Title IX and Section 504 for grievance procedures and the duties of grievance coordinators. Ms. Conliffe also has experience with other legal issues of significance to schools, including retaliation, harassment, the liability of school officials, student health insurance plans, high stakes testing, FOIA, and Title IX athletics.

Before entering the practice of education law, Ms. Conliffe taught mathematics and reading at a public middle school in Colorado. Ms. Conliffe was also a member of her School Division’s middle school mathematics curriculum development committee, tasked with redesigning the curriculum for better alignment with national and state educational goals.