2016 Panelist: Wesley Eby Johnson

 

Wesley Eby Johnson is an attorney with Escamilla & Poneck, L.L.P. with a focus in the area of preventive law, advising clients in the areas of school law, employment law, and governance. \

She is a graduate of the University of Texas, School of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1999 and in Louisiana since October 2009. Prior to entering law school, Johnson was a teacher with the Austin Independent School District.

In addition to her law degree, Mrs. Johnson also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana Tech University (1992) and a Master's Degree in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin (1993).  

Johnson began her legal career practicing general school law with Schwartz & Eichelbaum where she was an associate from 1999-2002. She litigated for the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) as a member of the Professional Discipline Unit before joining Escamilla & Poneck, L.L.P. in 2002.

Wesley served as legislative liaison in 2005 for the Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education (TCASE) hired by TCASE to draft legislation; provide bill summaries to members; and negotiate with representatives of other organizations regarding aspects of legislation relevant to special education law in Texas.

She has been a member of the University of Texas, School Law Conference planning committee since 2005.  In 2014, she began serving as General Counsel for the University of Louisiana System advising the system and its nine member universities. In that capacity, Wesley has coordinated all nine of the institutions within the UL System on policies and procedures involving federal and state laws including FERPA, Title VII, Title IX, Clery Act, Violence Against Women Act and the Campus SaVE Act.  

Wesley is a member of the National Peanut Board’s Allergy Education Counsel and has served as an adjunct professor at Louisiana Tech University teaching public law and policy.

She is a member of the Texas Association of School Boards Council of School Attorneys as well as the National School Board Association Council of School Attorneys and the National Association of College and University Attorneys.  She is licensed to practice in the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, all federal courts in Louisiana, and the Fifth Circuit.