Liz DeChellis
Partner & Director of Title IX Services, AWI-CH
Liz DeChellis, AWI-CH, is a Partner with Van Dermyden Makus Law Corporation. Her practice focuses on conducting workplace investigations as well as Title IX investigations and hearings. She is available as an expert in evaluating Title IX and sexual harassment matters.
Liz serves as Van Dermyden Makus’ Director of Title IX Services, overseeing all Title IX investigations and hearings. She also frequently conducts Title IX trainings as a faculty member of T9 Mastered.
Trained in Trauma Informed Forensic Interviewing, Liz is also an experienced investigator in Title IX sexual misconduct claims. Liz understands best practices in the Title IX arena, and the challenges facing schools and parties when sexual violence allegations surface. She has conducted investigations for K-12 Districts, as well as higher education institutions.
Liz is an expert in conducting Title IX Hearings. She has served as a Hearing Officer for multiple schools, applying a variety of policies and practices, and is familiar with both “new regulation” cases and cases falling outside the new regulations. In this role, Liz serves as the final adjudicator, completing the complaint and investigation process. She also serves as an Appeal Officer when students challenge the process, the outcome, and/or the sanction. Liz has overseen cases involving dating violence, drug abuse, sexual assault, and incapacitation. She has experience questioning parties using trauma-informed techniques, making admissibility and relevance decisions, and issuing well-reasoned, thorough decisions.
Liz is also an experienced workplace investigator, investigating allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other types of misconduct. She conducts trainings for staff and management on a variety of legal issues, including sexual harassment and discrimination prevention, as well as how to conduct effective investigations. Additionally, Liz is a part-time faculty member for the Association of Workplace Investigators.
Liz graduated from McGeorge School of Law in 2012 and earned an undergraduate degree from UC Davis. She is licensed to practice law in the State of California, and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
CA State Bar No. 286431