Karen M. Rezendes is the Managing Partner of Lozano Smith. Karen has extensive expertise in all areas of private and public sector employment law including effective employee recruitment, retention, employee contracts, evaluation, investigations, equal employment opportunity issues and discipline. Karen is also an expert in employee/employer relations and negotiations. Over her 34 years of experience, Karen has negotiated hundreds of agreements with labor associations throughout the State of California. Karen also provides day to day employment and labor law support to public and private sector employers and supports education and public agency clients regarding the Brown Act and board governance, student issues and general school and public agency law.
She is a well-recognized and frequent presenter and writer on Board Governance, and employment and labor law, a proponent of Interest Based Bargaining and an experienced and certified Trainer of Trainers regarding effective negotiations practices. A significant portion of her practice is devoted to advising and assisting education and public agency clients including board members and administrators regarding preventive measures to avoid litigation, ensure excellent business practices, encourage positive labor relations.
Karen Rezendes' practice focuses on representing public entity clients in the following areas:
General governance
Brown Act issues
Effective Board Governance
Conflicts of interest
Public Records Act
Employee/Employer Relations and Employment Law
Employee discipline and dismissal
Effective evaluation systems
Affordable Care Act
Leave Laws
Employment Contracts
Labor Law
Negotiations
First Amendment issues
Investigations of discrimination and harassment complaints
Certificated and classified employee issues
Employment discrimination
Sexual harassment
Wrongful termination
Civil Rights Issues
Employee Complaint Investigations
Mandated Reporter Issues
Uniform Complaint Procedures
First Amendment Issues
Student issues
Civil Rights Issues
Local Control Accountability Plans
Investigations
Uniform Complaint Procedures
First Amendment Issues
Additional Experience
In addition to her work as an attorney, Ms. Rezendes has experience as a school administrator, hearing officer, and "pro tem" Superior Court judge. Ms. Rezendes served as Director of Human Resources and General Legal Counsel for a County Office of Education and a large K-12 unified school district. Her work as a school administrator has provided her with a client's perspective regarding the need for timely, cost effective, quality, and practical legal counsel.
Education
In 1989, Ms. Rezendes received her J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar. While attending Santa Clara University, she served as business editor of the Santa Clara University Law Review and won, together with her partner, the Santa Clara University Moot Court Competition. Ms. Rezendes also completed the Harvard Law School, Program on Negotiations, Master Negotiations Course. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Personnel Administration and Industrial Relations. Ms. Rezendes has also received ATIXA certifications as a participant in Level 1 and Level 3 ATIXA Civil Rights Investigator Trainings.
In episode two of our series on Artificial Intelligence for Public Agencies and School Districts, we delve into the ways AI is revolutionizing the field of special education. Join Lozano Smith attorneys Karen M. Rezendes, Sarah L. Garcia, and Karina Demirchyan as they discuss how AI technologies are enabling a more inclusive learning environment and creating more equitable educational opportunities for students with diverse needs. We also discuss real-world applications and success stories involving AI, ethical considerations, and our future outlook regarding AI tools in special education.
Dive into the evolving world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the first episode in our new series, designed to cut through the hype and uncover the real impact of AI on public agencies. Lozano Smith's Managing Partner, Karen M. Rezendes, along with Lozano Smith attorneys Robert A. Lomeli, Karina Demirchyan, and Nicholas J. Clair, offer a foundational exploration of AI technologies like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini. This episode provides an accessible overview on how public employees are leveraging AI, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and practical examples of AI in school environments and beyond. The team also addresses crucial concerns such as bias, accuracy, and the legal landscape surrounding AI, including copyright issues and cybersecurity risks. As we embark on this series, join us for essential insights and recommendations to navigate AI's promising yet challenging terrain in public agency operations.
Host Devon Lincoln talks with veteran experts Karen Rezendes and Mattie Scott about the California budget process, Governor Newsom's first State budget (just passed on June 13), and the high stakes local school districts face when planning around the annual budget process.
Following the release of the new California governor's first proposed budget, Lozano Smith attorneys Devon Lincoln, Karen Rezendes and Mattie Scott sit down to discuss the long history of school finance in the state and how that history reverberates in our schools today - and why the issue should matter to every Californian.
