Special Education for Treasurers (CPIM Approved)

Taryn Weiss Derin advises school boards in general school law matters, concentrating in special education, including representation in due process hearings, IEP team meetings, and manifestation determination reviews. Taryn has also represented school boards in litigation on various issues including employment discrimination, student discipline, and property disputes.

Prior to her time at Pepple & Waggoner, Taryn served as the Columbus Foundation Coyle Special Education Fellow where she assisted families throughout the special education process attending over 150 IEP meetings in a single school year.

Taryn graduated magna cum laude from the Scholars Program at The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in only three years and received her Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. While in law school, Taryn earned a Certificate in Children Studies and worked as a Managing Editor for the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law.

In her spare time, Taryn enjoys running and performing onstage in local musical theatre productions.

Brian DeSantis is frequently called upon to advise school boards on high-stakes issues. Brian has counseled boards at risk of state intervention; resolved complex, multi-million-dollar school funding disputes; successfully defended school boards in protracted special education litigation; and created compliance systems for school districts sponsoring community schools.

Brian’s experience encompasses counseling clients through employment issues, representing school boards in labor and other contract negotiations, drafting education legislation, advising on constitutional law issues, and counseling on matters related to career-technical education. As a result, he has the ability to see the big picture and provide proactive guidance.

 Outside of work, Brian is an avid baseball fan, an ardent podcast listener, and an “occasional” runner. He graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, earned an M.A. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. from Wittenberg University, where he spent a summer studying in the African Kingdom of Lesotho. Prior to his legal career, Mr. DeSantis served as the Assistant Director of the Wittenberg Fund, where he guided annual fundraising to exceed $2.5 million. A product of Mayfield City School District, he lives in Bay Village with his wife, who works as a nurse practitioner, and their two children.