Merri Schneider-Vogel
Partner
T: (713) 554-6749
msv@thompsonhorton.com
- J.D., University of South Carolina School of Law, 1985
- B.S., with honors, State University of New York College at Oneonta, 1977
Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas, School Law Section, Past Chair
- Texas Council of School Attorneys, Executive Committee 2007-Present
- Chair, Texas Council of School Attorneys, 2011-2012
- National School Board Association, Council of School Attorneys
- Education Law Association
- Texas Association of Community College Attorneys
Noteworthy
- Texas Super Lawyer, Schools and Education, 2006 - 2011
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Merri Schneider-Vogel, a former teacher, represents and counsels administrators and boards of public, private, and charter schools, community colleges and other governmental entities on issues related to students, including student discipline, governance, election law, personnel and open government. Ms. Schneider-Vogel has extensive experience in all facets of school law, school litigation, and employment law, including discrimination law, grievances, non renewals and terminations, preparation of school district policies, employment contracts and handbooks. Ms. Schneider-Vogel has extensive experience in disability law and advises clients on issues arising under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), the American with Disabilities Acts (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Ms. Schneider-Vogel represents clients in state and federal courts in discrimination, civil rights, and other employment-related lawsuits and student issues. She advocates for her clients before the Texas Education Agency, the EEOC, the Office for Civil Rights, and other administrative and regulatory agencies. She also regularly represents school districts in special education due process hearings involving a wide range of issues, attends mediations, and Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) meetings. Ms. Schneider-Vogel conducts extensive training for administrators and board members on various topics, including special education, student discipline, confidentiality, all facets of employment issues, and open government issues.
Prior to joining Thompson & Horton, Ms. Schneider-Vogel was a partner at Bracewell & Giuliani LLP.
representative matters
Kenneth Cuadra v. Houston Independent School District, et al., C.A. No. 4:07-cv-03300; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division ( summary judgment granted for District and individuals in malicious prosecution case brought under Section 1983) (affirmed by 5th Circuit November 17, 2010).
Meyers v. La Porte Indep. Sch. Dist., 2007 U.S. App LEXIS 29598 (5th Cir. December 20, 2007) (affirming summary judgment on race and gender discrimination, Title IX, and Section 1981 claims)
Woods v. Sheldon Indep. Sch. Dist., 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 8562 (5th Cir. April 13, 2007) (affirming summary judgment on claims of race and age discrimination)
Matthew Paine v. Columbia-Brazoria Indep Sch. Dist, Cause No. 32852; In the 239th Judicial District Court of Brazoria County, Texas (lead attorney in successful defense of challenge to school district’s use of bond proceeds) (2007)
Claude Lewis v. Houston Independent School District, Dkt No. 016-R10-1107; Before the Commissioner of Education of the State of Texas (appeal of Section 22.0512 Texas Education Code – physical force against student) (2007)
C.S. bnf Rhonda T. v. Pearland ISD, Dkt No. 142-SE-0306; Before a Special Education Hearing Officer for the State of Texas (special education due process) (2006)
Maria Camacho, et al. v. Lamar Consolidated ISD, Dkt No. 005-R1-905; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (bilingual issue) (2006)
Durden, et al v. Houston Indep. Sch. Dist., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39817 (S.D. Tex. June 14, 2006) (granting summary judgment on Title IX and Section 1983 claims concerning alleged student sexual abuse)
Robert F. Green v. Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District, No. G-031029; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas; Galveston Division (race discrimination) (2004)
Mary Yee v. Galena Park Independent School District, Dkt No. 053-R10-102; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (teacher evaluation) (2002)
Chelsey L. Edwards v. Pearland Independent School District, Dkt No. 017-R8-1001; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (dress code) (2001)
Cynthia Musslewhite v. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Dkt No. 031-R10-1101; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (payment of supplement) (2001)
Madelyn Raasch v. Columbia Brazoria Independent School District, Cause No. 13270*JG00; In the 239th Judicial District Court of Brazoria County, Texas (lead attorney in successful defense of district’s use of bond proceeds) (2000)
Pasadena ISD v. M., et al., C.A. No. 4:00-cv-02346; In the United States District Court for the Southern District, Houston Division (student disability) (2000)
Denise Schneider, et al. v. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Dkt No. 149-R10-497; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (professional development requirement) (1999)
Earline Beam v. Pasadena Independent School District, Case No. 98-20826; In the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (affirming summary judgment on sex discrimination) (1998)
H, et al v. Lamar Consolidated ISD, C.A. No. 4:98-cv-01145; In the United States District Court for the Southern District, Houston Division (student disability) (1998)
Gertrude Janik v. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, Case No. 97-20535; In the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals (affirming summary judgment granted in employment discrimination case) (1997)
Swanson v. Houston Independent School District, 800 S.W.2d 630 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 1990, writ denied), (litigation over mandatory teacher competency testing)
Gayla Dawn Myers, et al. v. Columbia-Brazoria Independent School District, Dkt No. 008-R8-999; Before the Commissioner of Education for the State of Texas (dress code) (1989)
Texas Education Agency, et al., v. Gary W. Leeper, et ux., et al.,; C.A. No. D-2022; In the Supreme Court of Texas, appealed from the 17th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, Texas / Gary W. Leeper and wife, Cheryl Leeper, in behalf of themselves and their school-aged children, et.al. and all others similarly situated vs. Arlington Independent School District, et. al, and all other school districts and school attendance officers in the State of Texas, No. 17-88761-85; In the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas; 17th Judicial District (class action challenging TEA’s limitations on home schooling) (1985)
selected Publications and Speeches
"To Quit or Not to Quit: Negotiating Legally Sound Employee Resignations", TASA/TASB Convention, Houston, Texas, October 2009
"Employment Issues in An Ailing Economy", Region 4 Service Center, 2009
"Legal Issues in School Public Relations", Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) Legal Workshop, November 2008
"The Due Process Hearing: Ways to Avoid It and How to Be Prepared if it is Inevitable", 21st Annual Gulf Coast Administrators of Special Education (GCASE) Law Conference, November 2008
"The Nuts and Bolts of Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code", Children at Risk Seminar Series; Children's law Symposium, October 2008
"What to do When Faced with Parent Complaints and Threats of Lawsuits: You Can Run But You Cannot Hide", 4th Annual Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association (TEPSA), October 2008
"Effective ARD Committee Documentation", Gulf Coast Administrators of Special Education (GCASE) Camp Allen Retreat, October 2008
"Reassignments Roundtable", Texas Council of School Attorneys (CSA) Education Law Conference, September 2008
"To File or Not to File: When Can and Should A School District Request a Special Education Due Process Hearing", (co-presenter with Susan S. Bon, J.D., PhD., George Mason University), Education Law Association, 53rd Annual Conference, November 2007
"A School Law Primer on Issues Facing School Districts and School Employees" (co-presenter with Lisa R. McBride, Bracewell & Giuliani LLP), The Houston Bar Association, August 2007
"Election Advertising: The Do's and Don'ts", Texas Association of School Administrators 2007 Midwinter Conference, January 2007
"Legal Considerations Associated with Educational Foundations", Greater Houston Area Association Education Foundations Workshop, October 2006
"I Robot: Promoting Safe Schools Through Law and Technology," 44th Annual TASB/TASA Convention, September 19, 2004.
Chapter Author, Education Law Association Publication, Texas School Law: A Practical Guide (2nd Edition), November 2004.
Co-author, "The Americans with Disabilities Act: How Much Accommodation is Reasonable?," Texas School Administrators' Legal Digest, April 1996.
Co-author, "Lee v. Weisman: Should a Prayer at a Public School Graduation or other Extracurricular Event be a Thing of the Past?" 56 Texas Bar Journal, January 1993.
Co-author, "To Settle or to Litigate: Practical Strategies for Special Education Cases, Inquiry and Analysis," November 1991.
"School District Liability Under State Law for the Operation or Use of a Motor Vehicle," Texas School Administrators' Legal Digest, February 1988.
Co-author, "The First Amendment and School Employees: A Practical Management Guide," NOLPE Monograph, 1986.