Fred_Stormer

Fred Stormer is the chairman of the Public Education Law Section of the Underwood Law Firm. He serves as general counsel for a number of West Texas independent school districts and also works with community colleges.  Mr. Stormer’s duties in this capacity include advising clients on employment law matters, elections, procurement, federal and state civil rights, construction issues and public finance. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Texas Tech and was an adult probation officer in Lubbock for 6 years before returning to Texas Tech for law school.  Mr. Stormer is a current member of the executive council for the School Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and is an active member of the Council of School Attorneys and the Texas Association of Community College Attorneys.  He is a frequent presenter on general public education law issues at state and regional levels, and is a certified provider of continuing education training for boards and administrators.

Practice Concentration and Experience

Education Law

  • Represent community colleges and numerous school districts as general counsel and advises public education clients on personnel matters, including documentation, non-renewal hearings, and termination hearings
  • Represent public education clients with regard to student discipline matters and appeals, including TRO defense
  • Advise public education clients on Open Meetings Act and Public Information Act matters, including request for Attorney General Opinions and Open Records Decisions
  • Draft and negotiate contracts, including food service management company contracts, architect and construction contracts, and exclusive vending provider agreements

Civil Appeals

  • Appeals to state appellate court and Texas Supreme Court
  • Appeals to Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Administrative appeals to the Commissioner of Education

General Civil Litigation

  • Represent public entities against discrimination claims, allegations of civil rights violations, construction disputes, wage and hour claims, and Open Meetings Act issues
  • Represent insureds in various personal injury claims, including those arising out of transportation and premises liability
  • Draft and revise personnel policies and employee handbooks
  • Represent public entities in employment issues, contractual disputes, and personal injury litigation

Certified Provider of Continuing Education

  • Speaker at numerous seminars and conferences, including Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards Convention, the Texas Council of School Attorneys annual conference, the University of Texas School Law Conference, Texas Association of Community Colleges Attorneys and Texas Association of Community Colleges Human Resources Directors, as well as various school district board member and educator trainings

Activities and Affiliations

  • Admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • Admitted to practice in Texas State Courts
  • National Association of School Attorneys
  • Texas Council of School Law Attorneys
  • Texas Association of Community College Attorneys
  • Amarillo Bar Association
  • Texas Bar Foundation
  • Named a “Texas Rising Star” by Texas Lawyer, 2006 and 2007
  • State Bar of Texas School Law Section, director/executive council member, 2009 to present
  • Texas Council of School Law Attorneys, board of directors, 2007 and 2008
  • Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, planning committee member, 2011 to present
  • Texas Young Lawyer Association, former member
  • Amarillo Area Young Lawyer’s Association, former member
  • Opportunity School, former board member
  • Leadership Amarillo & Canyon, former participant
  • TEA Certified Provider of Continuing Education for School Boards
  • TEA Certified Provider of Continuing Professional Education for educators

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

Website Articles

Presentations

  • “Construction Projects and Their Headaches” – Underwood Law Firm, Municipal Law Seminar, Garden & Arts Center, Lubbock, Texas, September 5, 2012
  • “Federal Laws You Didn’t Know You Were Breaking” at the 27th Annual School Law Conference in Austin on March 2, 2012
  • “Documentation: The Devil is in the Details” at Region 16′s Leadership Academy on February 14th
  • “Duck and Cover: Avoiding and Preparing for Reductions in Force,” Council of School Attorneys, Austin, Texas, October 2011
  • “Employees and Social Media,” Hereford Economic Development Corporation, Hereford, Texas, August 2011
  • “R U 404 on the 411 re ur EEs’ metaverse?: Translation—Are you Clueless on Information Regarding Your Employees’ Virtual Online Reality?,” Texas Association of Community College Human Resources Professionals, Fort Worth, Texas, June, 2011
  • “Employees and Social Media,” WTAMU Annual Spring Board Member workshop, Canyon, Texas, May, 2011
  • “VEIPs and RIFs,” ESC 16, February 2011
  • “R U 404 on the 411 re ur EEs’ metaverse?: Translation—Are you Clueless on Information Regarding Your Employees’ Virtual Online Reality?,” Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, Austin, Texas, January 2011

Education

  • J.D. Texas Tech University School of Law, 1999
    • summa cum laude
    • Order of the Coif
  • B.S. Texas Tech University, 1990
    • cum laude