About Dianna Bowen

Legal Assistant: Cindy Foreman | 972-694-3314 | cforeman@thompsonhorton.com

Dianna’s youngest child was born with numerous special needs. Through years of nurses, hospitals, and therapies, Dianna’s understanding of the hurdles parents of special needs children face, as well as the struggles schools face to meet these hurdles, grew. Now, she takes that knowledge and understanding to help schools handle legal issues surrounding special education, students, and personnel with a focus on what all educators think of first – the child.

Dianna is a partner in the Dallas and Fort Worth offices of Thompson & Horton LLP. For over twenty years, she has successfully defended public school districts, charter schools, independent schools, and public and private colleges and universities on a wide range of school law issues from special education to employment issues. Dianna represents her clients in all aspects of litigation, including proceedings before the governing body, in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. She also counsels and advises her clients in formulating preventive strategies, drafting personnel and student policies and procedures, and training employees in all areas of school law.

Dianna has represented school districts in over 50 special education due process hearings before a special education hearing officer appointed by TEA and over 100 nonrenewal and termination hearings under Chapter 21 of the Texas Education Code in front of a hearing officer appointed by TEA and/or the district board of trustees. In addition, Dianna has had great success litigating cases in state and federal court, including the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, regarding claims brought under federal and state law related to special education and employment matters. Dianna has been repeatedly recognized as a Texas Rising Star in the area of School Law. And, she is the mother of three red-haired children, one of whom was born with special needs.

 

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