Overview

Courtney de Groof is Senior Counsel in Lozano Smith's Sacramento office. She assists her public agency clients with issues related to labor and employment, litigation, and charter schools.

Experience

Ms. de Groof advises school districts, community colleges, and county offices of education in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, including employee discipline and terminations, employee leaves, and internal complaints and investigations. Ms. de Groof also regularly responds to administrative charges filed with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Ms. de Groof also supports and advises school districts and county offices of education regarding all aspects of the Charter Schools Act, including charter school oversight, petition review, renewals, and revocation.

Prior to joining Lozano Smith, Ms. de Groof defended public employers in various litigation matters, including claims of workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour violations. She also successfully defended a public entity against claims brought under Section 1983 of the United States Constitution.

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Education

Ms. de Groof earned her J.D. from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and received her B.A. in English from California State University, Sacramento. Ms. de Groof has received certification through ATIXA as a participant in Level 1 and Level 3 ATIXA Civil Rights Investigator Trainings.

SB 114: New Laws Impacting Charter Schools - More Extensions and Clarification on Application of Standard of Review for Charter Petition Appeals

By: Erin Hamor, Courtney de Groof- 08/01/2023

Important Changes to PERB Regulations Effective January 1, 2022

By: Michelle Cannon, Courtney de Groof- 01/24/2022

SB 98 Impacts on Charter Schools

By: Edward Sklar, Courtney de Groof- 07/23/2020

Framework for Labor-Management Collaboration Jointly Issued by Governor and Statewide Organizations

By: Michelle Cannon, Courtney de Groof- 04/02/2020

Governor Newsom Signs Comprehensive Reforms for Charter Schools

By: Megan Macy, Erin Hamor, Edward Sklar, Courtney de Groof- 10/03/2019

Supreme Court Curtails Availability Of Defense To Employers In Employment Discrimination Cases

By: Michelle Cannon, Courtney de Groof- 07/31/2019

Episode 57 State Board of Education Considers First Charter School Petition Appeals Post AB-1505

By: Megan Macy, Courtney de Groof- 10/11/2022

As discussed in Episode 56, there were three pending charter school petition appeals to the State Board of Education (SBE) following denial by the respective LEAs. These were the first three charter petition appeals subject to the new appeal processes since Assembly Bill 1505 became effective in 2020. In this Lozano Smith Podcast episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Megan Macy and Courtney de Groof to follow-up and discuss the outcomes of these petition appeals and what to anticipate going forward.