GUY LEEHMUIS
Board of Directors Legal
Mr. Leemhuis has been an attorney for 21 years and has been in private practice for the past 16 years in
Southern California, with areas of focus in special education, disability rights, family law and probate matters.
He primarily litigates family law and probate matters in the Central District of Los Angeles County Superior
Court. He has been appointed Minor!s Counsel in various departments in the Central District Family law and
probate courts. He is bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.
Prior to October 2005 he worked as an attorney for Disability Rights CA (formerly Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), a non-profit disability rights organization that provides free legal services to people with disabilities in California, for eleven years and in his final three years there, served as the Multicultural Affairs Director for Protection & Advocacy Inc.
Mr. Leemhuis serves on a number of national boards and is currently a State Commissioner, served as Chair of
the California Commission on Disability Access and is currently the Immediate Past Chair. He was appointed to
the Commission by the California Senate and has been serving on this commission since 2013. He is the former
President of the Richard T. Fields Bar Association serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties. He is also
served on the Board of Directors for the California Black Lawyers Association. He currently serves on various
non-profit boards.
During the past twenty-six years Mr. Leemhuis has represented hundreds of individuals with disabilities,
particularly in the area of special education, (e.g., early intensive autism intervention services, behavior
intervention, full inclusion and language access) ADA discrimination, Public Benefits, and Access to inclusive
educational settings for children with disabilities.
From 1995-2005, Mr. Leemhuis had oversight for the coordination of PAI!s various statewide outreach
programs targeting underserved/multi-ethnic disability communities. He also coordinated the agency!s various
diversity initiatives and represents clients from underserved ethnic and language distinct disability
communities.
From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Leemhuis served as a founding member of Los Angeles Certified Neighborhood
Council and served as president of the council for five years. He also was appointed as a Neighborhood Review
Commissioner in 2007 and assisted in developing a comprehensive report on the impact and further
improvement of the neighborhood council system.
From 2002 until 2010, Mr. Leemhuis also served as a member of the Empowerment Congress, a group comprised of community leaders who provided input to the Honorable Mark Ridley Thomas, CA Assembly member, Senator and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, respectively. Mr. Leemhuis served as Chair of the Empowerment Congress from 2008 to 2010. In 2006, Mr. Leemhuis was recognized as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year for the 48th Assembly District for his work as a community leader.
Mr. Leemhuis is also a former bilingual school teacher having taught at all grade levels K-8. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School (Class of "94), Los Angeles and his undergraduate degree is from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also has a Master!s of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and the Episcopal Theological Seminary at Claremont 2016. He is expected to attain a Doctorate of Ministry in 2025. He is a native of Los Angeles and currently resides in Riverside.
Board of Directors Legal
Mr. Leemhuis has been an attorney for 21 years and has been in private practice for the past 16 years in
Southern California, with areas of focus in special education, disability rights, family law and probate matters.
He primarily litigates family law and probate matters in the Central District of Los Angeles County Superior
Court. He has been appointed Minor!s Counsel in various departments in the Central District Family law and
probate courts. He is bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.
Prior to October 2005 he worked as an attorney for Disability Rights CA (formerly Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (PAI), a non-profit disability rights organization that provides free legal services to people with disabilities in California, for eleven years and in his final three years there, served as the Multicultural Affairs Director for Protection & Advocacy Inc.
Mr. Leemhuis serves on a number of national boards and is currently a State Commissioner, served as Chair of
the California Commission on Disability Access and is currently the Immediate Past Chair. He was appointed to
the Commission by the California Senate and has been serving on this commission since 2013. He is the former
President of the Richard T. Fields Bar Association serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties. He is also
served on the Board of Directors for the California Black Lawyers Association. He currently serves on various
non-profit boards.
During the past twenty-six years Mr. Leemhuis has represented hundreds of individuals with disabilities,
particularly in the area of special education, (e.g., early intensive autism intervention services, behavior
intervention, full inclusion and language access) ADA discrimination, Public Benefits, and Access to inclusive
educational settings for children with disabilities.
From 1995-2005, Mr. Leemhuis had oversight for the coordination of PAI!s various statewide outreach
programs targeting underserved/multi-ethnic disability communities. He also coordinated the agency!s various
diversity initiatives and represents clients from underserved ethnic and language distinct disability
communities.
From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Leemhuis served as a founding member of Los Angeles Certified Neighborhood
Council and served as president of the council for five years. He also was appointed as a Neighborhood Review
Commissioner in 2007 and assisted in developing a comprehensive report on the impact and further
improvement of the neighborhood council system.
From 2002 until 2010, Mr. Leemhuis also served as a member of the Empowerment Congress, a group comprised of community leaders who provided input to the Honorable Mark Ridley Thomas, CA Assembly member, Senator and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, respectively. Mr. Leemhuis served as Chair of the Empowerment Congress from 2008 to 2010. In 2006, Mr. Leemhuis was recognized as Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year for the 48th Assembly District for his work as a community leader.
Mr. Leemhuis is also a former bilingual school teacher having taught at all grade levels K-8. He is a graduate of Loyola Law School (Class of "94), Los Angeles and his undergraduate degree is from the University of California, Los Angeles. He also has a Master!s of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology and the Episcopal Theological Seminary at Claremont 2016. He is expected to attain a Doctorate of Ministry in 2025. He is a native of Los Angeles and currently resides in Riverside.