Claire E. Bufalino

Claire E. Bufalino is an attorney at Robbins Schwartz, focusing on Special Education and Student Rights. She counsels school districts regarding IDEA and Section 504, student discipline, Title IX, student records issues and policy development. She assists school districts in responding to complaints from the Office for Civil Rights, Office of the Attorney General and Illinois State Board of Education, and she represents public school districts at IEP meetings, due process hearings, mediations, student discipline hearings and residency hearings.

Before practicing law, Claire worked as a program analyst at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she researched federal housing policy and worked in legislative and regulatory analysis and development. This role strengthened her ability to analyze complex legal and policy issues and reinforced her commitment to ensuring institutions have the knowledge and tools to stay compliant while supporting their communities.

Her interest in education law grew from early experiences working with children in nonprofits, music education, and childcare roles. Seeing how institutions shape opportunities, she pursued a legal career to support schools in creating equitable learning environments. In law school, she worked with students with disabilities in special education matters, which deepened her commitment to education law.

Outside of work, Claire is a dedicated runner who has completed the Chicago Marathon twice. She also enjoys exploring new restaurants across the city. A lesser-known fact about Claire is that she originally studied music, which shaped her understanding of how storytelling influences law, policy, and institutions.