John W. Anders

John Anders represents K-12 school districts in all areas of education law. His experience includes representing Chicago Public Schools in administrative hearings and formal mediations, developing negotiation strategies to resolve cases prior to hearing, ensuring the coordination and implementation of agreements, and counseling district administrators and school staff regarding policies, procedures, and special education rules and regulations. John regularly supports Individualized Education Program teams at the request of local school leaders and interacts with local and state agencies to ensure compliance with procedures and issues involving students.

As a licensed educator in Illinois, John leverages eight years of experience teaching middle and high school students in counseling clients with practical solutions to meet their needs. In his time at Chicago Public Schools, he also advised on policy-making decisions related to COVID-19 and conducted training regarding special education legal concerns. John understands the needs of clients and strives for solutions that merge best practices and legal requirements while emphasizing student-centered collaboration.

• Chicago Bar Association
  • Young Lawyers Section
    • Education Law Committee, Co-Chair

• Loyola University Chicago School of Law
  • Bridgman Scholarship
  • CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Property Law
  • Dean's List

• Co-Moderator, "School Discipline Challenges in the “Post” COVID-19 Landscape (and more!)," Chicago Bar Association, March 23, 2023
• Co-Presenter, "Curriculum Opt-Outs: Parents' Rights and Public School Curriculum," Illinois Council of School Attorneys (ICSA) 36th Annual Seminar on School Law, Chicago, Illinois, November 18, 2022
• Co-Presenter, "Legal Updates for the 2022-2023 School Year," Northeastern Illinois Association of School Business Officials, Vernon Hills, Illinois, September 2, 2022

• "What Teaching Taught Me About Succeeding as an Attorney," Chicago Bar Association, CBA Record, March/April 2023