About Kathryn E. Long
Legal Assistant: Stefani Simpson | 972-694-4082 | ssimpson@thompsonhorton.com
The Texas education system has been a dominant influence on Katie’s life. She is a product of the Texas education system: she attended Texas public schools for elementary, middle, and high school and Texas private colleges and universities for undergraduate and law school. Katie is the great granddaughter of a lifetime English teacher, the granddaughter of two lifetime Texas educators and administrators, the daughter of a lifetime Texas music educator and district administrator, and the sister of a current high school theatre arts teacher. Each day she strives to emulate the devotion she observed her family members give to educating Texas students in the legal assistance she provides to Texas public and private educational institutions.
Katie represents public school districts, community colleges, and other governmental entities in a wide range of employment, civil rights, commercial, and governance matters in Texas state and federal courts.
She has successfully defended school districts and governmental entities against Title VII, Chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code, Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Texas Whistleblower Act claims. She has also successfully defended numerous Title IX, Title VI, and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights actions brought against school districts and other governmental entities, including various First Amendment, equal protection, and procedural and substantive due process claims. She has been named a Texas “Rising Star” by Texas Lawyer.
Education
- J.D., Southern Methodist University, 2003, Associate Symposium Editor, SMU Law Review
- B.A. in International Studies, Austin College – Hatton W. Sumner Scholar, 1998
Licensing & Court Admissions
- Licensed in the state of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Memberships & Recognitions
- Texas Rising Star, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
- Texas “Super Lawyer,” Texas Monthly Magazine, 2007-2010
- Texas Association of School Boards – Council of School Attorneys
Selected Client Representations
- Successfully defended a school district’s innovative, multi-measure teacher evaluation system against a 92-person challenge before the Commissioner of Education and state district court
- Obtained dismissal of student’s Title VI and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 equal protection claims against school district and high school principal in high profile case that garnered national media attention
- Obtained dismissal of breach of contract, misappropriation of trade secrets, and unconstitutional takings claims against school district related to competitively bid $40 million technology contract
- Successfully defended school districts and community colleges in Title VI and Title IX lawsuits alleging student-on-student bullying and harassment, discrimination or harassment by educators, and sexual assault of students
- Obtained summary judgment or jurisdictional dismissal in multiple lawsuits brought by former employees against school districts and governmental entities alleging violations of the Texas Whistleblower Act, Texas Labor Code Chapter 21, Title VII, ADEA, ADA, and FMLA
- Obtained dismissal on the pleadings in multiple 42 U.S.C. § 1983 lawsuits brought by parents against school district alleging due process violations related to a student-on-student assault and death of a student and student’s death during a school field trip
- Obtained summary judgment in 42 U.S.C. § 1983 lawsuit against school district related to the sexual assault of a student
- Obtained summary judgment for school districts, governmental entities, and individual employees in lawsuits filed by former employees alleging First Amendment retaliation
- Successfully defended governmental entity in FLSA class action lawsuit involving allegations of unpaid overtime
- Successfully defended school district in student civil rights litigation involving alleged violations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, ADA, and IDEA
- Obtained complete defense jury verdict for school district principal against First Amendment retaliation claim
Representative Speeches & Presentations
- “Immunity for Educator Use of Force: Limitations on the District’s Right to Act”
- “Preventing and Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment in the #MeToo Era,” Region 11 Human Resources Summit
- “Texas K-12 Title IX Compliance and Investigations,” multiple presentations
- “Conducting Effective Investigations of Reported Employee Misconduct,” Region 10 Human Resources Summit
- “Can I Ask That? Lawful Pre-Employment Inquiries After Abercrombie,” Region 11 Human Resources Summit
- “Student and Employee Use of Social Media,” training for Employee Relations department within large metropolitan school district
- “Title IX K-12 Litigation Trends”, Thompson & Horton Title IX Summer Seminars, August 4, 2020
- “House Bill 3 and the Teacher Incentive Allotment” – co-presenter, 34th Annual School Law Section Retreat, July 17, 2020
- “Title IX in Higher Education – An Overview: Where We Were & Where We Are Going,” Thompson & Horton Title IX Summer Seminars, June 17, 2020
- “Title IX K-12 for Beginners: Where We Were & Where We Are Going,” Thompson & Horton Title IX Summer Seminars, June 16, 2020
- “House Bill 3 and Teacher Compensation: The Local Optional Teacher Designation System and the Teacher Incentive Allotment,” Region 10 HR Summit, February 20, 2020
- “LGBTQ Employment Issues in Schools,” Region 10 HR Summit, February 20, 2020
- “Understanding LGBTQ Issues in Schools,” Thompson & Horton Lunch & Learn, November 13, 2019