Firm information

Prior to becoming an attorney, I spent 13 years as a special education teacher and 17 years as a Student Services administrator throughout Arizona. This foundation led me to pursue a second career in special education law. My thirty plus years as a public educator and administrator give me a unique perspective on the legal issues facing schools. My experience and training give districts the tools and guidance to efficiently and effectively manage their day-to-day legal hurdles. 

• Special Education
• Students
• Mediation
• Education: Transactional Law
• Policy review and revision
• Records Audit
• Litigation

Licensed in the States of Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nebraska, Wyoming

US District Court, District of New Mexico 

Topics: IDEA, Section 504, Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Discipline under IDEA, Prior Written Notice, IEP development and implementation, School counselor and Psychologist Ethics, Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP), and many more.

Audiences: Superintendents, Special Education Directors, Principals, Counselors, Related Services providers, Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), New Mexico School Boards Association (NMSBA) and New Mexico School Psychologist Association (NMSPA)

Arizona Charter School 

Association - Market Place (ACSA)

Arizona School Risk Retention Trust 

Council for Administrators of Special Education (CASE)

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

American Bar Association

 State Bar of Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming.

Arizona Summit School of Law (2015) University of Phoenix (Superintendent Certificate, 1997) 

University of Phoenix (Principal Certificate, 1997) 

University of Northern Arizona (Master of Arts in Education Administration, 1991) 

University of Northern Colorado (Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, 1983)

Legal Beagles, A Silent Minority: Therapeutic Effects of Facility Dogs in the Courtroom, International Journal of Therapeutic Jurisprudence, Arizona Summit Law Review, Spring 2016, and available at Social Science Research Network SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2745522

 I'm looking forward to presenting at National Business Institute’s upcoming course, “504 Plans: Eligibility, Development, and Implementation in Arizona” on Friday, February 16, 2024. Register today at https://www.nbi-sems.com/ProductDetails/97895ER! 

I'M PRESENTING: 
LRP's Post - Symposium | Wednesday May 8, 2024 | 1:45 - 5:00 P.M. | Writing, Implementing Behavior-Based Goals in the Post-Covid 19 Era
Lorie Gerkey, Attorney, Law Office of Lorie A. Gerkey, PLLC, Tucson, Ariz.
Dana Holtz, EdS, RPT-S, C-AdPT, NCC  Nev.


Writing behavior goals can challenge the most experienced educational professional, especially during this post-COVID-19 erawhere social-emotional learning, restorative practices, and trauma-informed care must be considered! Taking an emotional
construct and creating a clear goal that meets the criteria of being observable and measurable is a feat in and of itself. Then,
the school team must address the task of determining how to implement the goal and monitor progress. In this interactive and
experiential workshop by attorney Lorie Gerkey, along with certified school psychologist, school counselor, and
registered play therapist Dana Holtz, you'll review recent case law related to behavior-based goals. Then, the presenters will
provide sample behavior-based goals to be dissected and evaluated for being clear, observable, measurable, individualized,
and achievable. Participants should bring their most challenging scenarios in hopes of developing behavior-based goals they
can incorporate into IEPs.