We are pleased to welcome Alice Yao as a Partner in our Education, Litigation, and Investigations practice groups in Washington, DC.
Alice Yao is a partner in the firm’s Education Practice in Washington, DC, bringing over twenty years of experience in complex litigation and policy, with a particular focus on civil rights enforcement at both the Department of Justice and the Department of Education. She offers strategic legal and policy guidance to educational institutions and social impact organizations, helping them fulfill their legal responsibilities and serve their communities. Alice’s practice includes providing legal advice, training, conducting compliance reviews and investigations, and advising on risk assessment and liability.
Renowned for her deep knowledge of federal civil rights laws and her extensive government and litigation background, Alice is uniquely positioned to advise clients on matters at the intersection of litigation, policy, and enforcement. She has a nuanced understanding of civil rights enforcement and is adept at helping clients advance their missions while navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Her expertise covers a broad range of education-related civil rights laws, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Higher Education Act, as well as issues involving parental rights, privacy, and the First Amendment. Alice’s career encompasses high-impact government enforcement, policy development, and litigation across federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private practice.
Alice served in the Department of Justice’s Disability Rights Section, where she led investigations, negotiated settlements, and represented the United States in litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. She served as a Supervisory Attorney in the Program Legal Group at the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where she played a pivotal role in regulatory and policy initiatives implementing Title IX and supported enforcement efforts across the agency. Her work also extended to policy work and enforcement of other key civil rights statutes.
Earlier in her career, Alice focused on consumer protection for student loan borrowers, developing policy and leading litigation under the Higher Education Act. As Senior Counsel at the National Student Legal Defense Network, she represented borrowers in litigation involving student loan fraud and institutional misconduct. She also practiced at two national litigation firms, handling a wide range of civil and criminal matters. A former law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Alice is recognized for her strategic insight, mastery of administrative and civil rights law, and her ability to guide clients through complex legal challenges.
Prior to joining PLG, Alice served as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Disability Rights Section. She earned her J.D. with honors from the University of Chicago Law School and earned dual degrees in political science and economics from MIT.
