Michelle L. Cannon
Partner | Sacramento
mcannon@lozanosmith.com
Tel: 916.329.7433
Fax: 916.329.9050
Vcard |
Bio
Overview
Michelle L. Cannon is a Partner in Lozano Smith's Sacramento office and co-chairs the firm's Labor and Employment Practice Group. For over 25 years Ms. Cannon has worked closely with a variety of public entities including school districts, county offices of education and community colleges. She is an active member in the Labor & Employment, Students, Community Colleges, Charter Schools and Litigation Practice Groups. Ms. Cannon has extensive experience in board governance, labor and personnel-related matters, student discipline, and charter school facilities. She was named to the Northern California Super Lawyers list each year from 2013 to 2020, and a Top Lawyer in Schools & Education by Sacramento Magazine from 2016 to 2020.Ms. Cannon's practice focuses on representing public entity clients in the following areas:
- General governance
- Brown Act issues
- Conflicts of interest
- Public Records Act
- Labor and personnel-related matters
- Employee discipline and dismissal
- Collective bargaining
- Investigation of discrimination and harassment complaints
- Certificated and classified employee issues
- Student issues
- Title IX
- Student discipline
- First Amendment issues
- Search and seizure related to students
- Charter school issues
- Review of charter petitions
- Revocation of charters
- Charter school facilities
- Litigation
- Sexual discrimination
- Sexual harassment
- Wrongful termination
- 42 U.S.C. section 1983 claims
- Contract disputes
- Writs and appeals in both state and federal courts
Additional Experience
Michelle has worked extensively in the collective bargaining arena in various roles. These roles include, but are not limited to, working as a facilitator in Interest Based Bargaining, acting as lead negotiator in the creation of new contracts, and advising clients through impasse proceedings.Ms. Cannon has also prosecuted numerous successful permanent certificated and classified termination proceedings. Ms. Cannon was recently published in the Daily Journal as a co-author of an article entitled "The Right to Education in California: It's for the Legislature to Decide Education Policy."
Presenter Experience
Ms. Cannon is a frequent speaker at workshops and CSBA and ACSA conferences. She regularly presents on topics such as sexual harassment prevention training, board issues, including the Brown Act and conflicts of interest, collective bargaining, discrimination, employee discipline and dismissals, student discipline, certificated employee lay off procedures, First Amendment issues, and charter schools.Professional Affiliations
- Member, California School Boards Association
- Member, California Council of School Attorneys
- Member, Placer County Bar Association
- Member, Sacramento County Bar Association
- Member, California State Bar Association
- Member, Animal Legal Defense Fund
Education
Ms. Cannon received her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She earned a B.A. from St. Mary's College of California. Ms. Cannon has received certification through ATIXA as a participant in Level 1 and Level 3 ATIXA Civil Rights Investigator Trainings.AB 764: California Changes the Process for Educational Agencies and Special Districts Undergoing the By-Trustee Area Districting and Redistricting Process
AB 764: California Changes the Process for Educational Agencies Undergoing the By-Trustee Area Districting and Redistricting Process Under the California Voting Rights Act
PERB to Employers: "Bargaining Costs Are Now on the Table as a Remedy"
Legislative Update: Changes in DOJ Background Checks and Expansion of the Statewide Immunization Database
New Legislation Expands Employee Leave Rights
U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed New Title IX Regulations
New Case Highlights Interplay Between Special Education and Sexual Harassment Laws
Important Changes to PERB Regulations Effective January 1, 2022
Deadline Approaching to Begin Process to Repatriate Collections of Native American Remains and Cultural Items
SB 95 - COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
CDPH Guidance for Schools Creates Challenges and New Reopening Criteria
Layoffs Under SB 98
New Title IX Regulations Issued by the Department of Education Take Effect August 14, 2020
Ninth Circuit Rejects Constitutional Challenge to School Safety Plan Allowing Transgender Student Use of Single Sex Facilities
Framework for Labor-Management Collaboration Jointly Issued by Governor and Statewide Organizations
Complainants Now Have 3 Years To File Charge Of Employment Discrimination
AB 1353 Limits Classified Employee Probationary Period To Maximum Of Six Months
State Clarifies Compliance Timeline For Employer Harassment Prevention Training
AB 5: New Law Further Limits Employers' Ability To Classify Workers As Independent Contractors
Supreme Court Curtails Availability Of Defense To Employers In Employment Discrimination Cases
Significant Cases
- Cole v. Oroville Union High School District (9th Cir. 2000) 228 F.3d 1092 - Assisted in the successful defense of a Northern California school district's decision not to allow graduates to deliver a sectarian invocation and proselytizing co-valedictorian speech.
- PLANS, Inc. v. Sacramento City Unified School District (9th Cir. 2003) 319 F.3d 504 - Successfully defended the school district's innovative Waldorf Methods instruction in public schools.