Wrightslaw: From Emotions To Advocacy - The Special Education Survival Guide - Directory of Legal and Advocacy Resources

Getting Help

Directory of Legal and Advocacy Resources

Legal Research l Government Resources l Legal & Advocacy Resources

On this page, you will find three categories of information: legal research sites, government resources, and legal and advocacy resources.

We do not endorse any person or firm. The people and groups listed in the Legal and Advocacy Resources section are familiar with special education advocacy. Most are familiar with the Wrightslaw program of special education advocacy which aims to get appropriate services for children while using tactics and strategy to prevent unnecessary problems. These individuals and groups have expressed support for our ideas. However, the views and opinions expressed by these sites are not necessarily the views and opinions of Wrightslaw.

Before you retain an advocate or attorney, we recommend that you interview people until you find the right person to work with you.

Legal Research

COPAA. Organization of parents, advocates, and attorneys; listserv and databanks available to members.

Findlaw. Encyclopedic site with resources for legal professionals, students, businesses, and the public. Federal Resources/ Judicial - links to sites maintained by federal courts; Case Law Finder - decisions from U.S. Supreme Court and Federal Courts of Appeal.
Subscribe to free legal newsletters by topic (legal news, legal commentary, health care news, practice tools, etc.); Daily Opinion Summaries by Circuit; Weekly Opinion Summaries by Topic.

Legal Information Center. Huge site maintained by Cornell Law School, includes decisions by topic, journal articles, other resources.

Versuslaw. Charges a small monthly fee but offers fast access to most recent decisions.

Wrightslaw Special Ed Law. Law libraries include special ed statutes and regulations, caselaw, articles written by attorneys who represent children with disabilities, reports, and news.

U. S. Government Resources

Office of Civil Rights, U. S. Department of Education
Website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/

Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U. S. Department of Education
Website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/index.html

IDEA Practices. Sponsored by U. S. Department of Education, Council on Exceptional Children, State Directors of Special Education.
Website: http://www.ideapractices.org/index.htm

Americans with Disabilities Act Page. U. S. Department of Justice
Website: http://usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

National Council on Disability - In-depth reports about disabilities issues.
Website: www.ncd.gov

U. S. Department of Education, State Monitoring Reports.
Find out how your state did when monitored by the U. S. Department of Education.
Website: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/monrepts/index.html

Legal & Advocacy Services

A-H I-O P-Z

Amicus for Children, Inc.
1023 Old Swede Road
Douglassville, PA 19518
610-689-4226
Email: amicusforchildren@att.net
Website: www.amicusforchildren.org

Stacey B. Bawtinhimer, Esq.
P.O. Box 12125
New Bern, NC 28561-2125
Email: bawtinhimer@coastalnet.com

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
1101 15th Street NW, Suite 1212
Washington, DC 20005-5002
Email: leec@bazelon.org
Website: www.bazelon.org/

Jennifer L. Bollero, Esq.
825 W. State St. #103D
Geneva, IL 60134
(630) 845-8370
fax: (630) 845-8371
E-mail: jlbesq@juno.com

Business Management Enterprises Inc.
The Youth Group Advocates
Claire Drapkin, M Ed
3587 Highway 9 #122
Freehold, NJ 07728
(732) 845-0066; Fax: (732) 845-1995
E-mail: NJADV@AOL.COM
Child/Parent Advocates and Educational Consultant. Member of COPAA, PDK. ACA. providing individual assistance with special educational needs and challenges including support at meetings.

Alice Callegary, Esq.
Callegary & Steedman
300 North Charles Street, Suite 600
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-7606
Email: alice@callegarysteedman.com

Center for Law and Education
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 510
Washington, DC 20009
202-986-3000
Email: webmaster@cleweb.org
Website: www.cleweb.org/

Center for Special Education Advocacy
548 Donald Street, Unit 1A
Bedford, NH 03110
603-668-3361
Email: cseadvocacy@msn.com
Website: www.cseadvocacy.com/

Children's Defense Fund
122 C St., N.W., Ste. 400
Washington, DC 20001
202-628-8787
Email: webmaster@childrensdefense.org
Website: www.childrensdefense.org

Matthew D. Cohen, Esq.
Monahan & Cohen, Attorneys at Law
225 West Washington Street, Suite 2300
Chicago, Illinois 60606 USA
312-419-0252
Email: mdcspedlaw@earthlink.net
Website: www.monahan-cohen.com

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
1321 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003-3027
202-544-2210
Email: copaa@copaa.net
Website: www.copaa.net
Net COPAA. List of COPAA members who will help parents of children with disabilities

G. Emerson Dickman, Esq.
25 E. Spring Valley Avenue
Maywood, NJ 07607
201-909-0404
Email: info@emersondickman.org
Website: www.emersondickman.org

Disability Rights Advocates
449 15th Street, Suite 303
Oakland, CA 94612
510-451-8644
Email: general@dralegal.org
Website: www.dralegal.org

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
2212 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-644-2555
Email: dredf@dredf.org
Website: www.dredf.org

Robyn Forbes Drucker, M.Ed, Ed.D.
Child Advocate in Special Education
123 Lisa Drive
Paoli, PA 19301
(610) 296-9828

Education-A-Must
c/o Dorothy French
PO Box 216
East Derry, NH 03041
603-437-6286
Email: Education7@aol.com
Website: www.education-a-must.com

Education Law Center - NJ
155 Washington Street, Suite 205
Newark, NJ 07102
973-624-1815
Email: JnPonessa@aol.com
Website: www.edlawcenter.org

Education Law Center - PA
1315 Walnut Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19107-4798
215-238-6970
Email: elc@elc-pa.org
Website: www.elc-pa.org/

Families for Early Autism Treatment
P.O. Box 255722
Sacramento, CA 95865-5722
916-843-1536
Email: webmaster@feat.org
Website: www.feat.org

Federation for Children with Special Needs
1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420
Boston, MA 02120
617-236-7210
Email: fcsninfo@fcsn.org
Website: www.fcsn.org

David Ferleger, Esq.
10 Presidential Blvd, Suite 115
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19044
610-668-2221
Email: david@ferleger.com
Website: www.ferleger.com

Fiesta Educativa, Inc.
3939 Selig Place
Los Angeles, CA 90031
323-221-6696
Email: info@fiestaeducative.org
Website: www.fiestaeducativa.org

Galena Parent Advocates
c/o Lynn Gallagher
320 Elk Street
Galena IL 61036
815 777-2796
Email: galenaadvocate@hotmail.com
Website: www.galenaparentadvocates.com

Steven A. Greenburg
Education Law / Civil Litigation
5521 Scotts Valley Drive, Suite 115
Scotts Valley CA 95066
Tel: (831) 439-8900
Fax: (831) 439-8920
E-mail: edulaw@pacbell.net
Web: www.specialeducationlaw.net

Harbor House Law Press, Inc.
P. O. Box 480
Hartfield, VA 23071
804-758-8400; Orders 877-529-4332 (877-LAW-IDEA)
Email: webmaster@harborhouselaw.com
Website: www.harborhouselaw.com

Suzanne Hawkins, Esq.
15 Broad Street
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 805-7155
Fax: (843) 805-7156
E-mail: suzanne.hawkins@law.com

Patrick Hoover Law Offices
Patrick J. Hoover, Esq.
Kathleen M. McNaught, Esq.
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 308
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-424-5777
Fax: 301-217-9297
Web: http://www.hooverlaw.com
Email: phoover@hooverlaw.com

Pat Howey, Advocate
Special Education Consulting
P.O. Box 117
West Point, IN 47992-0117
765-572-2892
Email: phowey@worldnet.att.net
Website: www.angelfire.com/in2/spedconsulting/index.html

Scott F. Johnson, Esq.
One Barberry Lane
Concord, NH 03301
603-228-1109
E-mail: sjohnson@svcnh.com
Web: www.svcnh.com

Margaret J. Kay
Ed.D. Psychologist
2818 Lititz Pike
Lancaster, PA 17601-3322
717-569-6223
Email: MJK@MargaretKay.com
Website: www.margaretkay.com

Sonja Kerr, Esq. / Kerrlaw
5972 Cahill Avenue South Suite 110
Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
651-552-4900
Email: info@kerrlaw.com
Website: www.kerrlaw.com

Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP
c/o Robert K. Crabtree, Esq.
One Bowdoin Square
Boston, MA 02114-2925
617-227-7031
Email: kcs@kcslegal.com
Website: www.kcslegal.com

Lapeer Foundation for Special Learning
P.O. Box 211
Lapeer, MI 48446
810-245-5606
Email: LapeerFoundation@aol.com
Website: www.iqonline.net/lapeerfoundation

Law Offices of Steven Glink
3338 Commercial Avenue
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 480-7749 (v)
(847) 480-9501 (f)
E-mail: steve@educationrights.com

Law Office of Deborah W. Owens
120 E. Ogden, St. 8
Hinsdale, Il. 60521
(630) 789-5856; Fax: (630) 789-9503
E-Mail: DOLaw120E@AOL.com

Marie Lewis
Developmental / Neurological Case Manager and Special Education Advocate
842 Summit Grove Ave.
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
Phone: 610-527-5272
Fax: 610-527-5509
Email: LewisMRA@aol.com

Reed Martin, Esq.
P. O. Box 487
Morgantown, WV 26507
304-598-3406
Email: connie@westco.net
Website: www.reedmartin.com

Merrywing Corporation
46 Dow Highway, Suite 8
Eliot, ME 03903
(207) 439-0382 voice, (207) 439-8413 fax
E-mail: merrywing@merrywing.com
Serving ME, NH, and northern MA

National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS)
900 Second Street N.E., Suite 211
Washington, DC 20002
202-408-9514
Email: napas@earthlink.net
Website: www.protectionandadvocacy.com

National Council on Independent Living
1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209
Arlington, VA 22201
703-525-3406
Email: ncil@tsbbs02.tnet.com
Website: www.ncil.org

Nexuskids
Contact: Roni Caw, Community Liason, uSC School of Law
2638 Two Notch Rd, Suite 200B
Columbia, SC 29204
803-576-5896; 803-576-5580 (FAX)
Email: cawnexus@hotmail.com

Richard L. O'Meara, Esq.
Murray, Plumb & Murray
75 Pearl Street
P.O. Box 9785
Portland, ME 04104-5085
(207) 773-5651 voice, (207) 773-8023 fax
E-mail:romeara@mpmlaw.com
Serving ME and NH

Jed I. Oliver, Attorney
3301 Northland Dr., Suite 302
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 453-6600; Fax (512) 453-6609
EmMail: jediveyoliver@yahoo.com

Brice L. Palmer, Advocate
Research & Advocacy Office
626 Route 4W
Castleton, VT 05735
802-265-8112; Fax: (802) 265-2366
Email: bp@lawtemps.com
Website: www.lawtemps.com

Parent Information Center of New Jersey, Inc.
210 Carlton Terrace
Teaneck, NJ 07666
201-692-0898

Peck & Associates
The Law Center
Keith H.S. Peck, Esq.
223 S. King Street, 2nd Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 537-4003

Edward W. Pepyne, J.D., Ed.D.
P. O. Box 345
Ashfield, MA 01339
Email: pepyne@shaysnet.com
Website: www.pepyne.com/sped.html

Lynne Z. Petkovic M.Ed.
Education Advocate and Consultant
22550 Westchester Road
Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122
(216)752-7592
E-mail: jpetkovic@aol.com

Protection & Advocacy, Inc.
100 Howe Avenue, Suite 185N
Sacramento, CA 95825-8219
916-488-9950; 800-776-5746 (In CA)
Email: legalmail@pai-ca.org
Website: www.pai-ca.org

Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP)
125 S. 9th Street, Ste. 700
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-627-7100

Neal Howard Rosenberg, Esq.
9 Murray Street, Suite 4 West
New York, NY 10007
(212)732-9450
Fax: (212)571-9893
E-mail: nyedlaw@earthlink.net

Samford and DePaola, P.C.
One Commerce Street, Suite 601
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-262-1600
Email: ssdp@mindspring.com
Website: http://www.specialedatty.com

Southern Disability Law Center
976 South Beach Blvd.
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
(228) 467-0092
Fax: (228) 467-0856

Special Education Legal Services (SELS)
27900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44132
(216) 289-IDEA (4332)

Wayne Steedman, Esq.
Ellen Callegary, Esq.
Callegary & Steedman, P.A.
300 North Charles Street, Suite 600
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 576-7606
Email: wayne@callegarysteedman.com
Web: http://www.callegarysteedman.com

Sussan and Greenwald
407 Main Street
Spotswood, NJ 08884
732-251-8585
Email: info@special-ed-law.com
Website: www.special-ed-law.com

Virginia Coalition for Students with Disabilities
Legal Advocacy Center
4600 Cox Road, Suite 205
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Phone: 804-967-2556
Fax: 804-967-2554
E-Mail: vcsdlac@aol.com
Website: www.virginialac.org

Whitted & Cleary LLC
3000 Dundee Road Suite 303
Northbrook, IL 60062
(847) 564-8662
Fax: (847) 564-8419
E-mail: whittedlaw@aol.com
Web: www.whittedclearylaw.com

James C. Wing, Jr.
Law Offices of James C. Wing, Jr.
51 Gillett Street
Hartford, CT 06105-2636
(860) 527-0640
E-mail: lojcw@aol.com

Wisconsin Special Education Advocacy & Consulting Alliance, LLC
Donna Hedrich, Certified Advance Practice Social Worker
608-697-9643
Email: hedrichd@itis.com
Website: www.spedalliance.com

Wrightslaw
c/o Pete and Pam Wright
P. O. Box 1008
Deltaville, VA 23043
804-257-0857
Email: webmaster@wrightslaw.com
Website: www.wrightslaw.com

M. Jayne Wright, Esquire
Law Offices of M. Jayne Wright, LLC
201 St. John Street
P.O. Box 939
Havre de Grace, MD 21078
(410) 939-8366
E-mail: jwright@wrightlawllc.com
Web: http://www.wrightlawllc.com

The Law Offices of Steven Wyner
Manhattan Beach, CA
(310) 379-4827 voice
(310) 379-5648 fax
Email: swyner@specialedlaw.org
Website: www.specialedlaw.org

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Addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses change often. If you learn that an organization has new contact information, please send an email with the correct information so we can update this page.