Overview
Kathleen Ehling is an accomplished education attorney with more than 21 years of experience federal and state education law, special education compliance, and K–12 regulatory policy. Before joining Porzio as Of Counsel, Kathleen served for over 21 years at the New Jersey Department of Education, most recently as Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Educational Services. Her extensive background allows her to guide school districts, education agencies, and public entities through the complex legal landscape governing IDEA, ESSA, NJTSS, fiscal accountability, and statewide reporting requirements.
At the Department, Kathleen oversaw the Offices of Special Education, Fiscal and Data Services, Student Support Services, Supplemental Educational Programs, Comprehensive Support and Performance Management, as well as the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf. As State Director for the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) programs, she led the administration of more than $1.5 billion in federal grants, ensuring legal compliance, program integrity, and equitable distribution of funds to school districts.
Kathleen’s legal work is grounded in deep operational knowledge. She has directed policy development, regulatory drafting, monitoring systems, and statewide dispute resolution processes — including IDEA complaint investigations, mediation, and corrective action oversight. Her early career as a special education mediator and complaint investigator provides clients with practical, experienced-informed guidance when navigating special education disputes, administrative procedures, and regulatory implementation.
In addition to her role as Of Counsel at Porzio, Kathleen also serves as the Assistant Vice President of Educational Services at PorzioCS, where she advises school districts on compliance infrastructure, audit readiness, federal program administration, and risk mitigation related to IDEA, ESSA, and state accountability systems.
With a background as both an educator and an attorney, Kathleen brings a unique perspective. She is known for her practical solutions, deep regulatory knowledge, and ability to help school districts navigate complex legal challenges with clarity and confidence.
Memberships
- New Jersey State Bar Association - Member