Linda Yoder has over 20 years of experience assisting both public sector and private clients with administrative and regulatory matters, as well as with state and federal court litigation. Linda handles projects from the earliest planning stages through successful completion and, as necessary, handles the litigation of claims, including jury trials and appeals. She has extensive experience addressing school law issues commencing with her representation of the State of New Jersey in briefing student search issues to the United States Supreme Court in New Jersey v. T.L.O. By representing numerous school boards in addressing their day-to-day needs, Linda has become familiar with the myriad of issues facing educational institutions. Linda assists clients with issues such as First Amendment rights, employment matters, grant applications and other regulatory matters, student discipline, special education, and personnel and business contracts. More recently, as school systems struggle with meeting their educational mandates in the face of ever-increasing utility costs, Linda advises school boards on energy and telecommunication matters to help them assess cost-saving measures and receive efficient, quality utility services. She also assists private consumers with commercial matters involving administrative agencies, contracting and energy efficiency measures.
Linda is a frequent speaker on issues facing educational institutions at functions sponsored by various professional organizations and the State Department of Education, and at in-service programs offered by school districts.
Before joining the firm, Linda served the State of New Jersey as a Deputy Attorney General in the Division of Criminal Justice.
- Editor, Georgetown Law Review
- American Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Hartford County Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Superior Court Affirms That Parents Who Complain to Public Schools About Staff Have Limited Immunity From Suit
A Connecticut Superior court issued a ruling in the case of Sidney v. Spader, entering summary judgment in favor of parents who were sued after asking a public high school to investigate concerns about a coach. A high school teacher, and coach, was not given a coaching position for the following year, after the school administration investigated concerns raised by several parents about some coaching practices. The plaintiff, Mr. Sidney, sued two of the parents claiming tortious interference with business relations. In a case of first impression, the Court ruled that "individuals who express dissatisfaction to school officials regarding the conduct of teachers and principals are shielded from liability under the Noerr Pennington doctrine so long as the petition is not a sham." The court further ruled that the complaints in this case did not constitute a sham because the school took disciplinary action based on its investigation of the complaint. Therefore, the complaints were not objectively baseless and the alleged motives of the parents were not relevant. Hence, the court granted the defendants' motions for summary judgment.
Telecommunications Overbilling Refunds
Represented a consumer of competitive telecommunications services in obtaining refunds of overbillings for telecommunications services. Client received a favorable judgment at the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control (DPUC) and a favorable settlement in a court appeal of that decision.