Michele R. Eaddy

Michele R. Eaddy joined Thrun Law Firm in 2001 after more than 10 years of legal experience representing school districts. Her practice at Thrun focuses primarily in the areas of special education, student issues, labor and employment, and general school law matters. Michele received her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign in 1988 and her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1985.

Michele has represented school districts in state and federal courts and before various state and federal administrative agencies, including the Office for Civil Rights, Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Administrative Hearings System, and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. She is a frequent presenter on special education law, Section 504, and disability law related topics to schools and educational organizations. Michele also serves as a Section 504 hearing officer and is a certified mediator.

Michele is a member and past president of the Michigan Council of School Attorneys, past president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan – Mid-Michigan Region, and past member of the State Bar of Michigan District E Character & Fitness Committee.

As proud graduate of the University of Michigan living in Spartan country, Michele is active in the U-M Club of Greater Lansing having served as a past president, board member, and regional clubs council representative to the U-M Alumni Association. She also served as a past chairperson and board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Lansing and was named the Boys & Girls Club of Lansing's Volunteer of the Year in 2001.

Michele lives in the Lansing area with her husband and daughter.

Lisa L. Swem

Lisa L. Swem has practiced school law with the Thrun Law Firm since 1988 and has devoted her law practice to servicing Michigan public educational institutions. Lisa’s interest in school law began in high school when she served as the first student representative to the Board of Education of the Buchanan Community Schools. Before law school, Lisa worked for five years as a social studies teacher at the secondary level. She also coached basketball and field hockey, and was a faculty advisor for many student activities.

While at Notre Dame Law School (J.D., 1988), Lisa was the student editor of the Journal of College and University Law and authored two articles for that publication, including “Due Process Rights in Student Disciplinary Matters.” She earned a B.A. in history from Centre College (1979), an M.A.T. in social studies from Colgate University (1981), and completed over 30 hours of graduate courses in educational administration at the State University of New York.

Lisa practices general school law with special focus on labor and employment law, as well as legal issues related to civil rights, student discipline, special education, policy, curriculum, and athletics. She represents school districts in state and federal courts, both at the trial and appellate levels. In addition to arbitration and mediation proceedings, she practices before various administrative agencies including the Michigan Administrative Hearing System (State Tenure Commission, Employment Relations Commission, and Department of Education), the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

For over ten years, Lisa authored the “Law Column” for the monthly Bulletin published by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals. She has written many articles on school law topics, including the chapter “Discipline of Students for Off-Campus Conduct” in the book School Violence: From Discipline to Due Process. Lisa was elected President of the Michigan Council of School Attorneys and served on its Board of Directors for two terms. She also served on the Board of Directors for the NSBA Council of School Attorneys. Lisa has conducted hundreds of seminars and presentations on a variety of school law topics.

Lisa lives in East Lansing where she bravely flies her Notre Dame flag on football Saturdays.

Terri Tchorzynski

Terri Tchorzynski is a Professional School Counselor at the Calhoun Area Career Center (CACC) in Battle Creek, Michigan, and was recently named the 2017 National School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Through a data-driven, comprehensive, and student-centered approach to school counseling, Terri and her team have received both state and national recognition. Behind Terri’s leadership, the CACC’s counseling department has been recognized by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for exemplary practices in college/career readiness, and was the second school in the state of Michigan to receive the nationally recognized achievement of being a Recognized ASCA Model Program. Terri has also been recognized as a Top Presenter for MDE’s Career and Technical Education Conference, an Honorary Counselor by the Michigan School Counselor Association, as well as being named the 2016 Michigan School Counselor of the Year. Terri started her career in education as a high school English teacher after obtaining her degree from Central Michigan University. She often draws on those experiences in the classroom to improve her practices as a school counselor when working with students, parents, teachers and administrators. Terri earned her Masters in School Counseling degree from Spring Arbor University and is in her 7th year as a school counselor at the CACC. Aside from the data-driven, comprehensive approach to school counseling, she attributes many of her successes as a school counselor to the relationships she builds with her students. Terri truly believes that building a trusting relationship with students is at the core of helping students find their success in life. In her spare time, Terri loves spending time with her husband and two boys, coaches a girls varsity basketball team, and enjoys working out, attending sporting events and spending as much time in the sun and beach that Michigan weather will allow.

Nicole Lord

I am the 2016 ACTE Fellow for Region I, ACTE Region I Policy Committee Member, and Michigan Career Placement Association (MCPA) Region Representative. I have my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and Business Administration. I have a Professional Education and Occupational Certificate along with my School Administrator Certificate. I am currently working as a CDF, Work-Based Learning Coordinator, and CTE Director for Flushing Community Schools. I have previous experience as a CTE teacher in Business, a Career Center Coordinator, an EDP Faciliator, and Academic Advisor. I have also consulted part-time in the past couple years with local districts and ISDs in the areas of WBL, CTE, and Programs of Study. In addition, I have experience as a community college instructor in the area of business and marketing management. I have four children and reside in Flushing but spent many summers at Bay Harbor Marina!