Natalie A. Hoernschemeyer

Natalie Hoernschemeyer is a trusted advisor to school boards, superintendents, and educational leaders across Missouri, known for her sound judgment, steady counsel, and deep command of education and employment law. With nearly twenty-five years of experience, Natalie chairs the Education Group at Mickes O’Toole and serves as lead general counsel to more than 250 public and private schools statewide. She is recognized as a Super Lawyers honoree in Education Law, a peer-reviewed distinction reserved for the top 5 percent of nominated attorneys in Missouri and Kansas.

Natalie’s practice is grounded in the day-to-day realities facing school leaders. She is routinely called upon to guide districts through their most sensitive and high-stakes decisions, offering clear, practical advice that balances legal compliance, educational mission, and community trust. Her work centers on proactive general counsel services, informed litigation strategy, and timely, practical training.

General Counsel Focus

As general counsel, Natalie advises boards of education and administrators on the full spectrum of issues confronting modern school districts. Her counsel regularly includes Sunshine Law compliance, FERPA and student records issues, human resources and employment matters, board governance, contract negotiation, staff and student investigations, discipline, student free speech, and constitutional concerns. Natalie partners closely with her clients to develop sound policies and procedures, helping districts anticipate risk, resolve issues early when possible, and make defensible decisions when matters escalate.

Strategic Litigation

When disputes proceed to litigation, Natalie brings nearly twenty-five years of courtroom and administrative advocacy experience, informed by her extensive general counsel work. She has a proven record defending school districts and educational institutions before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Natalie regularly represents clients in state and federal court involving claims under Section 1983, the First Amendment, Title VII, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Missouri Human Rights Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and related employment and education law claims. She has successfully represented clients before the Missouri Court of Appeals and the Missouri Supreme Court.

Statewide Leadership and MSHSAA Representation

Natalie also serves as general counsel to the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), the statewide nonprofit organization governing interscholastic athletics and activities for more than 700 member schools. In this role, she advises on governance, constitutional and bylaw interpretation, student eligibility, due process, risk management, and compliance with state and federal law. Her work with MSHSAA reflects the high level of trust placed in her judgment and reinforces her reputation as a statewide leader on issues involving student rights, competitive equity, and extracurricular participation.

Title IX Neutral Roles

Natalie also serves as an appointed Title IX decision-maker for a local university and has also served as a Title IX facilitator. These neutral roles require independence, discretion, and sound judgment in resolving legally and emotionally complex matters involving students and employees.

Timely Training

Natalie is deeply committed to helping educational institutions remain informed and compliant in an evolving legal landscape. She designs and delivers comprehensive training programs, speaks regularly at state and local conferences, and authors articles on emerging issues in education and employment law. Her trainings translate complex legal frameworks into practical guidance, enabling clients to reduce risk and avoid litigation. Training topics frequently include the Sunshine Law, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, FMLA, and recent regulatory developments impacting schools.

Natalie is a frequent speaker for education organizations across Missouri, including the Missouri Association of School Personnel Administrators, Missouri Association of School Administrators, Missouri Council of School Administrators, Missouri Association of School Business Officials, Missouri Association of Rural Education, Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals, Missouri United School Insurance Council, and the Educational Office Professionals Conference.

Additional Achievements

Natalie has taught advanced school law courses in the graduate program at Maryville University. She has also been appointed to the Board of Trustees for the Supreme Court of Missouri Historical Society, reflecting professional recognition and a commitment to the legal profession and the broader judicial community.

Natalie was elected by her peers to serve as an Officer at Large of the Missouri Attorneys for Public Schools (MAPS), a statewide organization of attorneys representing public school districts. In this leadership role, she assists in guiding the organization’s work and supporting its mission to advance sound legal practices in public education.

Prior to entering private practice, Natalie served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Clifford H. Ahrens of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District.