Candis Bowles
Candis Bowles
Ms. Bowles is Sr. Managing Attorney who works with DRC’s Leadership Team to shape agency-wide policies and practices and helps steer the Legal Advocacy Unit.
Since Ms. Bowles joined DRC in 2008, she has participated in a variety of advocacy efforts that have improved the lives of children. Her notable cases include Sam Doe et al v. Pasadena Unified School District, a case in which plaintiffs sought to end segregation of students with behavior related disabilities. She was also counsel in A.C. v. Schwarzenegger, a case against the State of California, local and state defendants for failing to provide educationally-related mental health services to students. Ms. Bowles and her practice group also represent youth in a number of systemic advocacy matters aimed at reforming juvenile facilities, court schools, county offices of education and local education agencies that fail to provide integrated mental health, behavioral and trauma-informed services for youth involved in the juvenile justice and dependency systems. Ms. Bowles also works on policy and advocacy to end bullying, restraint and seclusion and segregation of students with disability related behaviors.
Ms. Bowles is a graduate of the University of California Berkeley where she majored in East Asian Languages – Japanese Studies. She attended law school at the University of Southern California.