Attorneys

John R. Yeh has been practicing law in California since 1991.  He specializes in representing and advising school districts in charter school, labor and employment, and litigation matters. 

In the area of charter school law, he has extensive experience advising school boards on the granting, denial, oversight, monitoring and revocation of charters.  Mr. Yeh’s experience includes the following:

• Representation of several large urban and rural unified school districts, as well as smaller K-8 districts, on how to deal with charter school issues.
• Advising school boards on a number of high-profile charter revocations, as well as on the review of charter petitions, having reviewed approximately 200 charter petitions on behalf of school districts.
• Advising several school districts on charter petitions submitted by Rocketship Education.
• Advocacy for school districts in Superior Court in charter school matters, including revocation, facilities allocation and funding issues.
• Advising school districts on best practices in charter school oversight, proposed charter school legislation and charter school funding.

Mr. Yeh’s experience in advocating for school districts and other public agencies in court include the following:

• Successful trial court and court of appeal decisions affirming district rights with respect to the non-reelection of probationary certificated employees.
• Favorable result in defense of challenge to school district parcel tax through court of appeal.
• Defeated multiple attempts by charter schools to halt charter revocation in Superior Court through temporary restraining orders.
• Dismissal of employment discrimination action through demurrer and summary judgment.
• Successful defense of school district facilities allocations under Proposition 39 in court.
• Favorable jury trial verdicts in real estate matters.

Mr. Yeh also practices in the areas of personnel and employment law, with a focus on school district personnel issues and labor relations.  He has also compiled a successful record representing school districts in arbitration hearings and unfair practice claims before PERB.  Results include:

• Representation of school district in defeating unfair practice charge alleging unilateral transfer of bargaining unit work.
• Favorable arbitration awards regarding employee transfer, 39-month re-employment list, employee leaves, non-reelection of probationary employee, length of workday, class schedules and evaluation of certificated employees.
• Successful completion of certificated and classified discipline and layoff proceedings before Administrative Law Judges, including certificated layoff in excess of 300 FTE.
• Extensive representation of districts in unemployment insurance appeals hearings.

Mr. Yeh has also been certified as an Interest Based Bargaining trainer, and has spoken before administrators and graduate-level classes on general education law, charter school, and personnel matters. He also speaks frequently before industry associations on charter school legal issues.