Joanne D. Sommer

Biography

Joanne D. Sommer is an attorney in the Doylestown office of the law firm of Eastburn & Gray, where her practice is concentrated in the areas of education and employment law. Over the last forty years, Ms. Sommer has handled over three hundred special education due process cases including an appearance before the United States Supreme Court. In addition, she regularly represents school districts and private clients in the investigation and litigation of employment discrimination claims.Ms. Sommer has been a presenter at many seminars on education law and regularly provides in-service training to school districts, teachers and administrative staff on special education regulations and student rights. She also has lectured for the Bucks County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, the Pennsylvania Association of School Boards, Lehigh University's Graduate Program on Special Education Issues, the National Business Institute, the Bucks County Community College and Delaware Valley University on topics related to education and employment law. Ms. Sommer was solicitor to the West Shore School District for fourteen years and represents three other school districts in labor and employment and special education matters.

Ms. Sommer also routinely represents business clients, school districts and employees in matters involving the employment relationship or the termination of employment and has extensively practiced before the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Sommer has litigated many employment discrimination matters in state and federal courts, including the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Memberships

Ms. Sommer is a member of the Bucks County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania School Board Solicitors Association.

Bar Admission

Ms. Sommer is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, Third Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Courts for the Eastern District and the Middle District of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Courts.

Education

Ms. Sommer earned her B.S. degree in Education from Millersville State University and her J.D. degree from Temple University.

Honors and Awards

• Selected by peers for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine, 2016 - present.