Haley Percell
Chief Legal Officer and Deputy Executive Director
Bio
Haley Percell is a native Oregonian, born in Portland and raised in the Wilsonville, Canby, and Aurora area. She attended primary school in the Wilsonville and Canby public school districts and attended high school at St. Mary’s Academy in Portland, Oregon. Haley obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology with a Spanish certificate from the University of Portland and earned her law degree from Willamette University College of Law.
Haley was an employment attorney in private practice for over five years before joining OSBA’s legal team as an attorney in 2011. She has held several leadership roles with OSBA including legal department director (2017 to 2023), chief legal officer (2022 to current), and deputy executive director (2023 to current).
Haley has significant experience guiding school leaders and OSBA through legal and operational challenges. At OSBA, Haley oversees all internal and external OSBA and PACE legal, board development and policy programs.
Haley is admitted to practice law in all Oregon state and federal courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Court. She belongs to several professional associations and has held leadership roles with the National Council of School Attorneys and the Oregon State Bar’s Government Law Executive Committee.
On her personal time, Haley enjoys spending time with her family and her many pets. She also loves traveling (especially to Disneyland).
-
Education and Admissions
+
Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 2005
University of Portland, B.S., 2002
Oregon State Bar, 2005
United States District Court, District of Oregon, 2005
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2008
-
Professional Distinctions and Affiliations
+
National School Boards Association
- Ex-Officio Board Member 2024-25
National Council of School Attorneys
- COSA Steering Committee Past-Chair 2025-2026
- Oregon State Bar Government Law Section Executive Committee Member (2020 to Present)
- Chair 2026
- Treasurer 2025
- Secretary 2024
Oregon Council of School Attorneys
National Association of College and University Attorneys
Oregon State Bar Government Law Section Executive Committee Member (2020 to present)
- Secretary-Treasurer 2024
Oregon Women Lawyers
Oregon Association of Defense Counsel
Multnomah Bar Association
Marion County Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
-
Noteworthy Litigation Outcomes
+
Houston v. Yoncalla School District No. 32, et al. (700 Fed.Appx. 697, 9th Cir. 2017)
Houston v. Yoncalla School District No. 32, et al. (2016 WL 2660189, Dist. of Or., May 9, 2016)
Holder v. Central Oregon Community College, et al. (2016 WL 1725299, Dist. of Or., April 29, 2016)
Dosier v. Central Oregon Community College, et al. (2015 WL 6121907, Dist. of Or., Oct. 15, 2015)
Houston v. Yoncalla School District No. 32, et al. (2015 WL 413803, Dist. of Or., Jan. 29, 2015)
Leighton v. Three Rivers School District (2015 WL 272894, Dist. of Or., Jan. 20, 2015)
Leighton v. Three Rivers School District (2015 WL 6063638, Dist. of Or., Nov. 12, 2014)
Houston v. Yoncalla School District No. 32, et al. (2014 WL 3514984, Dist. of Or., July 11, 2014)
Rodriguez v. Central School District 13J (2013 WL 6576269, Dist. of Or., Dec. 13, 2013)
Rodriguez v. Central School District 13J (2013 WL 6576278, Dist. of Or., Oct. 4, 2013)
Rodriguez v. Central School District 13J (2013 WL 27851, Dist. of Or., Jan. 1, 2013)
Rodriguez v. Central School District 13J (2012 WL 6756945, Dist. of Or., Nov. 14, 2012)
Solo v. Central Oregon Community College, et al. (2011 WL 6759566, Dist. of Or., Dec. 21, 2011)
Presentations and Trainings
-
2025
+
- Student Speech, Protests and Walkouts, COSA School Law Conference
- Speech in Schools, COSA School Law Conference
- Hot Legal Topics Panel, COSA School Law Conference
- Employee Discipline and Dismissal, Advance School Law Class, COSA/Univ of Oregon
- Student Rights, Principal Licensure Class, COSA/Univ of Oregon
- PACE Fall Regional, Malheur ESD
- Public Meeting Law, Malheur ESD
- School Speech, Grant ESD
- PACE Fall Regional, South Coast ESD
- Public Meeting Law, South Coast ESD
- Public Meeting Law, Douglas ESD
- PACE Fall Regional, Southern Oregon ESD
- School Speech, Lane ESD
- Public Meeting Law, Clackamas ESD
- PACE Fall Regional, Northwest Regional ESD Astoria
- Speech in Schools, OSBA Convention
- Public Meeting Law, InterMountain ESD (Pendelton)
- Public Meeting Law, InterMountain ESD (La Grande)
- Public Meetings Law, PACE Trust Meeting
- Child Abuse Reporting and Sexual Conduct Reporting for Board Members, OSBA Webinar
- Sexual Conduct Reporting for Administrators, OSBA Webinar
- Public Meetings Law for Board Members and Administrators, OSBA Webinar
-
2024
+
- Executive Session Law for School Board Members and School Staff, Intermountain ESD Regional Training
- Public Meeting Law for Board Members, Superintendents and Administrative Professionals, PACE Webinar
- Legal Topics for Small Schools, OSSA Conference
- Employment Termination, PACE Day
- Free Speech and the Board, NSBA Annual Conference
-
2023
+
- Hot Legal Topics – Oregon School Law Conference
- School Law for Board Members, OSBA Annual Conference
- Gender Expansive Students and Staff: Laws and State Guidance, PACE Webinar
- PACE Legal Updates, Intermountain ESD
- Social Media Do’s and Don’ts, Canby School District
- Public Meetings & Ethics, OSBA Summer Board Conference
- School Law for Board Members, OSBA Summer Board Conference
- Laws and Guidance around Gender, Astoria School District
- School Board Member Do’s and Don’ts Best Practices, La Grande School District
- Social Media Do’s and Don’ts, La Grande School District
- School Board Member Legal Responsibilities and PACE Coverage, Grants Pass School District
- Legal Topics for Small Schools, Oregon Small Schools Association Conference
- PACE Update, PACE Agents Day
- Social Media Do’s & Don’ts, Oregon Athletic Directors Association Conference
- Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, Oregon Athletic Directors Association Conference
- Contracting with Third Parties, PACE Day
- Parental Rights, NSBA COSA School Law Conference
- Legal Hot Topics, OSPA Winter Retreat
- Every Student Belongs and Gender Identity in School Programs, Oregon City Equity Conference
-
2022
+
- How Not to Get Fired, COSA School Law Conference
- Student Suicide, COSA School Law Conference
- Hot Topics Panel, COSA School Law Conference
- Superintendent Evaluation, OSBA Annual Convention
- Navigating the Complaint and Investigation Process, OSPA Fall Retreat
- Navigating the Complaint Process, Southwestern Oregon Community College
- So Now You’re a Supervisor, Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Parental Rights, PACE Webinar
- PACE Legal Update for Coaches, Corvallis School District
- Employment & The Legal Stuff: Incentive Checklist, Harassment, Discrimination, and Other Workplace Investigations, OASBO Summer Conference
- PACE Hot Topics, OSBA Summer Board Conferences
- Superintendent Evaluations and Performance Management, OSBA Summer Board Conferences
- School Law for Board Members, OSBA Summer Board Conferences
- Adverse Employment Separations, Community College Virtual Training Day
- 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
- Contracting with Third Parties, PACE Day
- Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Athletic Directors, OADA Conference
- Social Media Do’s and Don’ts, OADA Conference
- The Parent’s Role in Directing the Education of Their Children in K-12 Public Schools, COSA School Law Conference
- Parental Rights Update, OSPA Winter Retreat
- The History and Legal Landscape of Race Discrimination in K-12 Public Schools, PACE Webinar
- Every Student Belongs and Gender Identity in School Programs, Oregon City School District Equity Conference
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: The School Administrator’s Role and Legal Responsibilities, COSA Winter Conference
- The K-12 School Employment Contract Renewal/Non-Renewal Process, PACE Webinar
-
2021
+
- Student off-campus Speech and School Districts in an age of Social Media, COSA School Law Conference
- Hot Topics Panel, COSA School Law Conference
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Lincoln County School District Administrators, Lincoln County School District
- Holidays—Religious Freedom v. Endorsement of Religion, PACE Webinar
- The School’s Legal Obligation to Prevent and Address Gender Identity Discrimination in Oregon’s Public Schools, OSPA Virtual Fall Summit Conference
- Protected leave update—OFLA, FMLA, ADA accommodation leave, Oregon paid sick time, Oregon paid family leave, workers’ compensation leave, and more!, OSPA Virtual Fall Summit Conference
- Prohibition of “Symbols of Hate” in Public Schools: Free Speech vs. Harassment, Discrimination, and Bullying, NSBA COSA Fall School Law Conference
- Public Meetings Law & Public Records Law, Eugene School District
- PACE Update, OSPA Regional Meeting
- The School’s Role in Addressing Student Death by Suicide: Awareness, Prevention and Postvention, PACE Webinar
- 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
- The Human Resource Professional’s Role in Ensuring Equity, Diversity and Non-Discrimination in Oregon’s Public Schools, OSPA Summer Retreat
- The Board’s Legal Obligation to Ensure Equity and Nondiscrimination in Public Schools, Summer Board Conferences
- Contracting with Outside Entities/Third Parties—COVID-19, PACE Webinar
- The Human Resource Professional’s Role in Ensuring Equity, Diversity and Non-Discrimination in Oregon’s Public Schools, OSPA Spring Conference
- Reasonable Accommodations in the Time of COVID-19, NSBA COSA Spring School Law Conference
- Contracting with Outside Entities/Third Parties: COVID-19 Concerns Addressed, PACE DAY
- Reasonable Accommodations in the Time of COVID-19, NSBA Annual Conference
- School Law for Board Members, OSBA Webinar
- Handling Allegations of Inappropriate Behavior Between Staff and Students, OSPA Winter Retreat
-
2020
+
- Complaint Investigations, PACE Webinar
- Legal Issues Impacting Oregon Small Schools, COSA School Law Conference
- School Law Hot Topics Panel, COSA School Law Conference
- SB 155 ODE Sexual Conduct Reporting and Investigation Update, COSA School Law Conference
- Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Employee Leave Entitlements: The Intersection of FMLA/OFLA, the ADA, and Workers’ Compensation, OASBO Conference
- Homeward Bound: Lessons Learned from COVID-19 on Educating Students at Home, NSBA COSA Fall Conference
- Political Speech in Schools, PACE Webinar
- Legal and Policy Update on Sexual Harassment, Sexual Conduct and Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, OSBA Virtual Summer Board
- School Law for Board Members, OSBA Virtual Summer Board
- Contracts During the Covid-19 School Closures and Beyond, PACE Webinar
- Employee Leave During COVID-19 School Closures, PACE Webinar
- Layoff’s and Furloughs: Legal Considerations of Workforce Restructuring, PACE Webinar
- Distance Learning: Student Privacy and safety During the Covid-19 School Closures, PACE Webinar
- Bullying and Sexual Harassment, North Clackamas School District
- Bullying and Harassment, PACE Webinar
- Employment Hiring Practices, PACE Webinar
-
2019
+
- Harassment and Discrimination Prevention, Southwestern Oregon Community College
- The Board’s Role in Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, OSBA Summer Board Conference
- The Board’s Role in Personnel Matters, Oregon School Boards Association Summer Board Conference
- Sexual Conduct and Sexual Harassment Update, Oregon School Personnel Association
- The Board’s Role in Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse, OSBA Annual Convention
- How to Run a Board Hearing, OSBA Annual Convention
- Title IX Compliance, OSBA Annual Convention
- Legal Issues for Oregon Small Schools, COSA/OSBA/UO School Law Conference
- Top 10 Legal Issues Panel, COSA/OSBA/UO School Law Conference
- Suicide Policy and Prevention: SB 52 (and other suicide bills), COSA/OSBA/UO School Law Conference
- Mandatory Reporter Training for Board Members, OSBA Webinar
- CBD & Medical Marijuana: Recent Changes — and What Remains the Same, NSBA Webinar with NSBA
