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Office of the General Counsel Staff
Educational Programs Unit – Phone: 850-245-0442
The Educational Programs unit is charged with the responsibility of providing general legal assistance to all program units of the Department, from pre-kindergarten to community college, in order to ensure that agency action complies with the state’s Education Code, the Florida Constitution, and the many federal laws and grants. The unit assists with implementing the state’s educational initiatives such as differentiated accountability, drop-out prevention, and various choice options, including virtual programs, charter schools and private schools that accept students with McKay scholarships. Educational Programs provides assistance in developing and reviewing policies, rules, and technical assistance papers, conducts hearings and appeals, handles litigation, and responds to complaints filed with the federal Office of Civil Rights.Judy A. Bone
Deputy General Counsel
Miki M. Presley
Assistant General Counsel
Richard Shine
Assistant General Counsel
Lois S. Tepper
Asst. General Counsel
Diana Harper
Administrative Assistant III
Business Operations Unit – Phone: 850-245-0442
The Business Operations unit handles all contract reviews and provides significant assistance in contract preparation and negotiation, and preparation of competitive procurements and grant solicitations. Business Operations also handles a wide variety of litigation, including personnel appeals and arbitrations, bid protests, McKay scholarship denials, rule challenges, risk management cases, and challenges over district funding issues. The unit coordinates the preparation of legislative bill analyses and legal review of proposed legislation, handles public records legal issues and advises on other open government questions, and provides training in the area of agency rulemaking. Questions relating to bond finance, education funding, growth management, labor relations, garnishments, general services, technology, and other finance and operations issues are also referred to this unit.Steven S. Ferst
Assistant General Counsel
Edie McKay
Assistant General Counsel
Brent McNeal
Assistant General Counsel
Bonnie Wilmot
Attorney - Race to the Top
Rosalinda Rapacke
Administrative Assistant II
Professional Practices Services Unit – Phone: 850-245-0443
This section represents the Commissioner of Education in educator licensing proceedings through which teaching or administration certificates may be denied or sanctioned. This section provides advice to investigators, recommends probable cause determinations to the Commissioner, drafts administrative complaints, negotiates settlements, handles informal hearings before the Education Practices Commission and formal hearings at the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), and defends cases on appeal.Margaret O’Sullivan Parker
Deputy General Counsel
Paul Rendleman
Senior Attorney
Christina Harrell
Paralegal Specialist
Brian Pagozalski
Paralegal Specialist
Vocational Rehabilitation/Blind Services Unit
This unit provides legal services to the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Division of Blind Services. These divisions provide vocational rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities that impede their employability. This unit also represents the Department in such matters as appeals by employees of these divisions in cases involving discharges, unemployment compensation appeals, appeals of administrative final orders, and claims of discriminatory treatment. This unit also provides staff counseling in matters of contracts, vendor certification, legal process, legislative proposals, and policy. The Rehabilitation Services unit manages the Divisions’ subrogation rights to reimbursement of vocational rehabilitation services expenditures from third-party payments.Charles J. Pellegrini
Asst. General Counsel
Corbin F. Hanson
Senior Attorney
Melinda Cupp
Paralegal Specialist
Cameron Zauche
Staff Assistant