Credentials in Advocacy

Parents often look for an educational advocate when they are unhappy with the special education services their child is receiving.  They ask around to figure out how to solve problem, and often, someone recommends that they hire an advocate.  It seems simple.  You have a problem, you hire someone to help fix it.  When you have a problem with your sink leaking, you call a plumber.  When your puppy looks unwell you bring her to your veterinarian.  Plumbers and Veterinarians are licensed and regulated to help consumers know they are getting qualified professionals. 

Educational advocacy is more like the wild west.  Anyone can hang a shingle and call themselves an advocate.

I am not a practicing attorney, but I am highly skilled.   Law school does not teach specific laws; it teaches you how to think. You need an advocate who can think through complex problems and find solutions, all while making it seem simple to the school district. This is a lawyer’s skillset.

Law school taught me how to negotiate effectively, to write clearly and concisely, and to read complex documents and be able to explain them in simple terms.  Law school taught me to love research and to excel at it.

I’ve argued cases before hostile judges; team meetings do not intimidate me. While there is no certification for being an advocate, I passed one of the hardest bar exams in the country (New York) on my first try. Advocates without law degrees think they can do it all. They will negotiate, sometimes for years, without finding a solution that meets the needs of the student. Families waste precious time and money trusting the person they hired as an expert. As someone with a law degree, I know where the line is.  I know when negotiations aren’t productive and it’s time to pursue mediation, or to hire an attorney.  This will help you meet your goals faster, more economically, and most effectively.

I will not rest until a solution to your child’s educational problems are found.