JENNIFER L. HANSEN is a partner with the law firm of Hansen & Cleary, LLC. Ms. Hansen focuses her practice on the areas of special education law, school residency, school discipline matters, mental health law, probate and guardianship matters, criminal and civil litigation for juveniles and adults, confidentiality issues, bullying investigations, post-secondary education matters (including appealing post-secondary dismissals), DCFS and child welfare matters, school employment issues, and domestic relations as a Guardian ad Litem, Child’s Representative, and/or Attorney for the Child.
Ms. Hansen represents select private schools and provides consultative services to schools and institutions in the areas of bullying investigations, employment investigations, special education, disabilities and legislative support.
In addition, Ms. Hansen represents mental health providers and practitioners in the areas of mental health law and confidentiality, IDFPR matters, and contractual issues.
Because of her vast experience as a special education lawyer, Ms. Hansen is a frequent speaker in the areas of special education law, school discipline, school records, and bullying as well as in the areas of mental health law and DCFS matters. She is also a trained mediator. Ms. Hansen has co-taught School Law classes for master’s level students through Aurora University and Psychiatry and the Law classes to UIC psychiatry fellows.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Hansen was a partner with Whitted Takiff + Hansen, LLC and an attorney with the Lake County Public Defender’s Office. Ms. Hansen received her law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1998 and her LL.M. in European and Comparative Law from the Universiteit Maastricht in Maastricht, the Netherlands in 1999. She obtained her B.A. in English and Spanish from Carthage College in 1995.
Ms. Hansen is fluent in Spanish. Ms. Hansen has been a percussionist with the Lake Geneva Symphony Orchestra since 2001.
Areas Of Practice:
- Special Education Law
- Mental Health, Confidentiality, and Subpoena Issues
- IDFPR Law
- Guardianship Law
- Criminal Litigation (Juveniles and Adults)
- Civil Litigation (Juveniles and Adults)
- Orders of Protection
- School Residency Law
- School Discipline
- Employment Attorney
- DCFS, Child Welfare
- Domestic Relations (Guardian ad Litem, Child’s Representative, Attorney for the Child only)
- Mediation
Education:
- Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1995 B.A. English and Spanish
- University of Wyoming College of Law, Laramie, Wyoming, 1998 J.D.
- Universiteit Maastricht, Maastricht, the Netherlands, 1999 LL.M.
Classes Taught:
- Aurora University, Adjunct Professor, Graduate Level Education Law Courses
- UIC, Adjunct Professor, Psychiatry and the Law
