News & Resources

Dannis Woliver Kelley Elevations and Announcements

Feb 20, 2019 | Press Releases

San Francisco, CA – Dannis Woliver Kelley, California’s premier education law firm, is very pleased to announce that Keith J. Bray, Meredith B. Johnson, William F. Schuetz, Jr. and Ellen C. Wu have been elevated to Shareholders of the firm.

Dannis Woliver Kelley welcomes these talented and diverse group of lawyers to our partnership. They are brilliant in their respective areas of practice, and each has demonstrated a dedicated commitment to clients, colleagues, and community.

Keith Bray is based in the Sacramento office and is a member of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Personnel, Board Ethics, Transparency and Accountability, Charter Schools and Litigation practices. He has over 20 years of legal experience on behalf of K-12 school districts and county offices of education where he advised superintendents and their administrative staff on personnel matters, open meeting laws, charter schools, contract preparation and review, policy updates and development, facility construction and leases, administrative hearings and board governance. Prior to joining DWK, Keith served as General Counsel to California School Boards Association (CSBA) and Director of the Education Legal Alliance since 2011.

Meredith Johnson is based in the Long Beach office and is a member of the Business, Property and Finance Practice Group. She has extensive experience serving as bond counsel, disclosure counsel and underwriter’s counsel on both long-term and short-term financings including general obligation bonds, certificates of participation, bond anticipation notes and tax and revenue anticipation notes.

William Schuetz is based in the Sacramento office and is a member of multiple practice groups, including Charter Schools, Business, Property and Construction; Labor, Employment and Personnel; and Board Ethics, Transparency and Accountability. He is particularly recognized for his expertise in assisting school districts and county offices of education clients throughout California with various charter school-related legal matters and issues. In November 2018, Bill was elected to the California Council of School Attorneys 2019 Board of Directors, Vice President for Programs, and is currently a member of the governing board of the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District.

Ellen Wu is based in the Long Beach office and is a member of the Labor, Employment and Personnel Practice Group. She has ten years of experience representing and advising school and community college districts in all aspects of labor, employment and personnel matters. Prior to joining DWK, Ellen worked for the Public Employment Relations Board as a Regional Attorney. In 2017, she was recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyers’ Rising Star.

In addition, we are thrilled to announce that Sirenia Jimenez, Meagan M. Kinsey and Daniel M. McElhinney have been elevated to Special Counsels of the firm. Sirenia is based in the Long Beach office and is a member of the Labor, Employment and Personnel and Board Ethics, Transparency and Accountability practice groups. Meagan is based in the Long Beach office and her areas of practice include Students and Special Education, Charter Schools, and Litigation. Dan is based in the San Luis Obispo Office and is a member of the Labor, Employment and Personnel and Board Ethics, Transparency and Accountability practice groups.

The trio are impressive representatives of DWK’s core culture, and they demonstrate our strength across a number of our key practices. They are committed to providing outstanding client service and foster a collegial environment across the firm.

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Dannis Woliver Kelley (DWK) is a full service education law firm focused entirely on serving and providing legal representation for California public school districts, county offices of education, community colleges and other educational organizations. Established in 1976, DWK is one of the largest women-owned law firms in the country. The firm’s areas of practice include: Board Ethics, Transparency and Accountability; Business and Property; Charter Schools; Construction; Labor, Employment and Personnel; Litigation; Public Finance; and Students and Special Education. DWK provides preventive, practical and cost effective legal counsel on key issues surrounding your core mission – the education of students.

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