Tonyia J. Brady

Tonyia is dedicated to helping professionals, businesses, boards, and education organizations across Oregon navigate complex legal issues with clarity and confidence. With a strong foundation in employment law and years of litigation and advisory experience, Tonyia provides practical, results-focused counsel tailored to each client’s unique situation.

Raised in Dallas, Oregon, Tonyia is a proud product of the Oregon public school system.  She attended the University of Oregon and graduated, cum laude, with degrees in political science and history and went on to receive her law degree from Willamette University College of Law.

During law school Tonyia worked as a law clerk for the Employment Litigation Section of the Oregon Department of Justice and interned for the Honorable Anna J. Brown, an Oregon U.S. District Court Judge.

Tonyia has over sixteen years of legal experience, including ten years as an employment litigator representing clients in a wide range of workplace issues. She also spent over six years with the Oregon School Boards Association, where she represented school districts, educational service districts, charter schools, and community colleges on a variety of legal matters. In that role, she developed extensive experience advising public entities, handling complex employment issues, and providing strategic, preventative guidance in all areas of school law.

Whether advocating in litigation or advising clients before disputes arise, Tonyia is committed to delivering thoughtful, responsive, and effective legal solutions. She understands that legal challenges often impact more than just business, they affect people’s livelihoods, reputations, and peace of mind, and she works closely with her clients to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Tonyia is admitted to practice in the Oregon State Bar, the United States District Court for the District of Oregon, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In her spare time she enjoys running, hiking, paddle boarding, and traveling with her husband, Nick, and two daughters, Abigail and Eleanor. 

    • Navigating Leave Laws, PACE Day

    • Non-Renewal Process, PACE Webinar

    • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Refresher, Ferndale Elementary School

    • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Refresher, Milton Freewater School District

    • Student Records Management, Milton Freewater School District

    • PACE Trustee Legal and Ethical Responsibilities, PACE Trustee Training

    • Executive Sessions Hot Topics Table, OSBA Annual Convention

    • Sex Abuse Prevention & The Role of the Central Office, OASBO Annual Conference

    • PACE Legal Meet & Greet and Hot Topics, Webinar

    • Overnight Student Travel, PACE Webinar

    • Keeping our Students Safe: Spotting Grooming, Reporting Abuse and Protecting Our Teams, OADA Conference

    • Navigating ADA: Mastering the Interactive Process and Leave Laws, PACE Day

    • Preparing for RIF/Layoffs, COSA – New Superintendents Academy

    • Legal Issues Impacting Small Schools, Oregon School Law Conference

    • Sometimes you need an Attorney – Hot Table Topic, OSBA Annual Conference

    • Social Media Speech/Rights, PACE Webinar

    • Public Meeting Law for Board Members, Superintendents and Administrative Professionals, PACE Webinar

    • Leave Laws, PACE Day

    • Employee Disability Accommodations, Community College Conversations

    • Employment Separation Process, PACE Webinar

    • Where are we now? A Look Back at 2023 Hot Topics in School Law – OSPA Virtual Winter Retreat


    • Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools – Oregon School Law Conference

    • PACE Legal Updates – High Desert ESD

    • Parental Rights, OSBA Annual Conference

    • Staff Absences and Protected Leaves Presentation, OASBO Conference

    • Gender Equality, PACE Webinar

    • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Oregon Athletic Directors Association Conference

    • Social Media Do’s & Don’ts, Oregon Athletic Directors Association Conference

    • Employment Issues and the Law, OSPA Spring Conference

    • Contracting with Third Parties, PACE Day

    • Adverse Employment Separations: Do’s and Don’ts, PACE Webinar

    • Legal Hot Topics, OSPA Winter Retreat

    • Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools, COSA School Law Conference

    • Hot Topics – Parental Rights, OSBA Annual Convention

    • Parental Rights to Student Records, OSBA Annual Convention

    • Employment Law and Practices, Rogue Community College

    • Employment & The Legal Stuff: Incentive Checklist, Harassment, Discrimination, and Other Workplace Investigations, OASBO Summer Conference

    • Adverse Employment Separations, Do’s and Don’ts, OSPA Summer Retreat

    • Employee Speech – Curriculum Choices, Campaigning and Political Signs in Classrooms, OSPA Spring Conference

    • Protected Leave Update: OFLA, FMLA, ADA Accommodation Leave, Oregon Paid Leave & More, OCCA Annual Conference

    • Social Media Do’s and Don’ts, OADA Conference

    • Women’s History Month – Pay Equity, Gender/Sex Discrimination, Title IX, PACE Webinar

    • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Athletic Directors, OADA Conference

    • Staff-on-Staff Harassment vs. Employee Speech Rights, Oregon City School District Equity Conference

    • Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools, COSA School Law Conference

    • Complaint Process, PACE Webinar

    • The School’s Responsibility Around Bullying, PACE Webinar

    • Conducting Investigations, Reynolds School District

    • Grooming, SAM, & COVID: What you need to know heading back to school, OSSOA Annual Summer Conference

    • Protected leave update—OFLA, FMLA, ADA accommodation leave, Oregon paid leave and more!, OASBO 2021 Summer Conference

    • Everything you Would Want to Know About Job Descriptions and More!, OASBO 2021 Summer Conference

    • Sex Abuse Prevention and Sexual Conduct Legal Requirements, OASBO 2021 Summer Conference

    • The Board’s Legal Obligation to Ensure Equity and Nondiscrimination in Public Schools, OSBA Summer Board Conferences

    • Contracting with Outside Entities/Third-Parties, PACE Webinar

    • The Human Resource Professional’s Role in Ensuring Equity, Diversity and Non-Discrimination in Oregon’s Public Schools, OSPA Spring Conference

    • Employee Discipline and Termination in School Districts – Navigating Complex Statues and CBA provisions, PACE Day

    • Student Disability Accommodations and 504 Plans, PACE Webinar

    • Employee Disability Accommodations/ADA, PACE Webinar

    • Complaint Investigations, PACE Webinar

    • Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools, COSA

    • Student Speech: Where does student speech cross the line to student discipline? PACE Webinar

    • Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Employee Leave Entitlements: The Intersection of FMLA/OFLA, the ADA, and Workers’ Compensation Leaves, OASBO Virtual Conference

    • Political Speech in Schools, PACE Webinar

    • Student and Staff Safety in a Virtual Learning Environment, Oregon City School District

    • School Law for Board Members, OSBA Summer Board Conference

    • Contracts During COVID-19 School Closures and Beyond, PACE Webinar

    • Employee Leave During COVID-19 School Closures, PACE Webinar

  • University of Oregon, B.S., 2007

    Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 2010

    Oregon State Bar, 2010

    United States District Court, District of Oregon, 2010

    United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2014

  • Deschutes County Bar Association 

    Oregon Women Lawyers

    Oregon Council of School Attorneys

    National Council of School Attorneys

    Oregon Association of Defense Counsel

    Oregon Super Lawyer’s “Rising Star” 2013-2020

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