
Renae W. Aldana
Shareholder
With over 25 years of experience, Renae represents and supports public school districts in student services matters, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and related state law. She provides counsel in all areas of special education, throughout identification, evaluation, IEP, mediation and litigation processes. She has successfully represented school districts in hundreds of special education mediations, special education due process requests and hearings, Section 504 mediations and hearings, DPI and OCR investigations, and U.S. federal district court and 7th Circuit Court of Appeals cases. She also provides guidance for navigating complex student services matters, including student discipline, pupil nondiscrimination and open enrollment. She previously served as a mediator, IEP facilitator and trainer for the Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System and as an adjunct professor of education law at the Marquette University Law School. She is a Wisconsin School Attorneys Association Past President and Board member and a frequent presenter at state and national conferences.
Accomplishments
- JD, cum laude, University of Wisconsin
- BA Political Science, with distinction, University of Wisconsin
- Pepperdine School of Law Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution Mediator Training Program
- Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System Mediator Training Program
Up Close & Personal
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: I love distance running, water sports, hiking, dates with my husband Mike and traveling with our family.
Q: Do you have children? Tell us about them.
A: Yes! Three boys - one lives in New York and works for CNBC, one studies political science at UW-Madison and our youngest son is enjoying life as a high schooler and eagerly awaits visits from his brothers!
Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?
A: I have many, but I especially love Breckenridge, Newport Beach, California, Zermatt and Venice.
Q: What was your very first job?
A: My family lived in the Washington, D.C. area, where I was a U.S. Senate intern.
Q: Name one of your athletic accomplishments.
A: Completing a race challenge by running a 5K, 10k, half marathon and full marathon in four consecutive days.