Elizabeth Schwartz

Serving Bay Area school districts and other public agencies statewide, Elizabeth Schwartz adeptly handles a range of special education and student services issues. 

Elizabeth always aims to find solutions to problems as quickly and painlessly as possible. If special education or expulsion due process hearings are ultimately warranted, however, clients know they can turn to Elizabeth as their go-to person to walk them smoothly through every step of the way with the least amount of exposure. With significant experience and deep, broad knowledge in conducting and advising in these proceedings, Elizabeth relishes the opportunity for judges to hear the districts’ positions through her clear, persuasive advocacy. On the investigative end of her practice, she examines everything from allegations of sexual harassment to discrimination by diving in deep, asking probing questions and carefully assessing both the big picture and the crucial details.

Contributing her strong leadership skills to F3, Elizabeth serves as the Oakland office’s Managing Associate. In this role she helps integrate new associates into the firm through providing mentoring and written guidance. She also served for two years as a committee member on the Office of Administrative Hearings Special Education Advisory Committee.

During law school, she externed for the Honorable Michael J. McShane in the United States District Court, District of Oregon, assisted the Lane County District Attorney’s Office through the Criminal Prosecution Clinic and interned with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Child Advocacy Section.

At the start of her career, Elizabeth taught second grade in Oklahoma City through Teach for America. She now considers it a privilege to work with school districts and other clients to support students in their educational journeys.