EDUCATION:

Ms. Casillas attended and received her J.D. from Columbia Law School.  She spent her 3L year at Stanford Law School. 

Ms. Casillas served as a judicial extern in the chambers of the Honorable Kim Wardlaw of the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Casillas attended Wellesley College and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago.

WORK HISTORY:

LAW FIRM OF ALEXIS CASILLAS: As a solo practitioner, Ms. Casillas has obtained one of the largest compensatory education awards ever issued by the Office of Administrative Hearings in California. She has set significant federal precedent regarding exceptions to the statute of limitations governing IDEA cases.

LEARNING RIGHTS LAW CENTER: Ms. Casillas served as the organization’s Legal Director from February 2021-July 2022

NEWMAN AARONSON VANAMAN: Until 2017, Ms. Casillas worked on hundreds of IDEA, Section 504, and ADA cases before the Office of Administrative Hearings, the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Ms. Casillas has also worked at the following governmental agencies on disability-related cases:

  • New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (participated in forums on disability access for public transit)

  • Department of Health and Human Services (worked on Medicare and Medicaid access issues)

  • Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office (worked on issues regarding testimony by individuals with language disorders or intellectual delays)

COMMUNITY SERVICE AND ADVOCACY:

Ms. Casillas has a long history of volunteer work with nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups. Below is a list of some of the groups Ms. Casillas has worked with as a volunteer:

  • Civitas Member

  • Southern California Leadership Network Fellow

  • White House Fellow Regional Finalist

  • Stanford's Youth and Education Law Project

  • Villa Esperanza School and Services

  • Best Buddies

  • Autism Speaks

  • Advocates for Children of New York

  • The Autism Legislation Project.

  • ACLU of Southern California