About Kendra Yoch

Legal Assistant: Mindy Irvin | 469-421-6618 | mirvin@thompsonhorton.com

As a former special educator and daughter of a special educator, Kendra brings a practical, student-centered approach to representing schools and has a passion for supporting schools in complex and critical issues and disputes.

Kendra represents educational institutions, including public school districts, charter schools, private schools, and higher education institutions, in a variety of education law matters. Kendra partners with clients to problem solve and innovate related to student issues, including special education, discipline, bullying, records, and free expression. She also supports clients related to harassment investigations, policies and handbooks, and intergovernmental agreements. Kendra has done extensive training and counseling of clients related to the new Title IX sexual harassment regulations.

Kendra serves as lead counsel in special education mediations and due process hearings and represents schools in complaints before the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. She supported a large school district in a significant special education State corrective action matter involving numerous stakeholders. Kendra is a frequent presenter at education conferences.

Prior to joining Thompson and Horton in Dallas, Kendra represented schools in Illinois, and prior to that, she served in the general counsel’s office for the District of Columbia Public Schools, handling hundreds of special education due process complaints. Before attending law school, Kendra taught seventh and eighth grade special education reading and language arts in Houston ISD as a Teach for America corps member. She was a Division I collegiate swimmer and a silver medalist at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. Kendra and her husband are now teaching their two young children to swim.

Education

Licensing & Court Admissions

Representative Speeches & Presentations