Special Education Lawyer in Middlesex County

If you have a child with special needs in Middlesex County, we at the Susan Clark Law Group LLC want you to know that you’re not alone in facing the challenges of school-age children with disabilities. Our attorneys fight tirelessly for families with special needs because we’re parents of children with disabilities ourselves.

When you need a New Jersey special education lawyer, you can count on us to understand the particular challenges your family faces.

Since 1975, when federal law granted children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE), a significant number of children with special needs have enrolled in public schools. About 13 percent of students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who were enrolled in public schools have a disability, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Whether your child has developmental disabilities, sensory impairment, physical disabilities, or behavioral or emotional disabilities, the law provides for specialized instruction in the least restrictive environment possible that accommodates your child’s challenges. The law also grants your child procedural protections and gives you the right and the voice to make decisions about your child’s education.

Contact our education attorney NJ today if you need legal assistance to stand up for your child’s educational rights.

How We Help Families in Middlesex County with Special Education Issues

At the Susan Clark Law Group LLC, we believe in equipping you and your child with the resources and reassurance to succeed. Our special education lawyers in Middlesex County are dedicated to providing top-quality representation while being compassionate about your child’s abilities and your efforts to advocate for your child. Here are some ways in which we can assist you:

• 504 Plans – A 504 Plan provides for accommodations to students with disabilities, such as extra time to take tests, technology aids, modified textbooks, physical or behavioral therapy, or physical modifications to a classroom or desk. We can tailor this plan to meet your child’s needs.
• Individualized Education Program (IEP) – An IEP is designed each school year to specify the accommodations and services the school provides to your child so she or he can reach his or her full learning potential. But this process can feel daunting if you disagree with the program’s evaluation of your child, its services and accommodations, or its goals and objectives for your child. We can review the IEP team’s findings with you and work to modify them where necessary.
• Out-of-District Placement – If you think your child’s current school doesn’t meet your child’s needs adequately, you may have other options. One is to arrange for your child to attend a charter or private school or a school in another district. We can help you evaluate these other options and guide you through the lengthy planning process this entails.
• School Expulsion – An expulsion is the most serious disciplinary action a school system can take because it removes your child from a public school district. It also can have long-reaching and adverse effects on your child. Federal and state law guarantees students with disabilities the right to a fair hearing if they face expulsion. We can represent your child through this process, present her or his side of events, question evidence, and appeal any adverse disciplinary decision.
• School Suspension – A suspension is a short-term disciplinary action that is not as severe as an expulsion. Nevertheless, it can still be emotionally devastating for a child with a disability. If your child’s disability was related to the objectionable behavior, this discipline may be unwarranted. We can represent your child at formal and informal hearings to present his or her side of events, gather evidence and witnesses, and ensure that your child receives appropriate support.
• Mediation – State and federal law grants you the right to disagree with a school district’s decisions regarding your child’s well-being or education, especially if the district refuses to provide certain services or your child is denied them. We can advocate for your child at a state mediation session to resolve this conflict to your satisfaction.
• Due Process Hearings – When mediation is unsuccessful, parents can request a due process hearing to disagree with a school district’s position on their child’s special education services, classification, or placement. We can present legal arguments and evidence before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to support your position, making sure that your child’s needs and your voice are heard.
• Special Needs Trusts – A Special Needs Trust (SNT) provides for and protects your child financially as he or she ages. Assets of this type of trust are excluded from Medicaid rules and are designed to be used solely for the benefit of an individual with a disability, whether paying for education, living expenses, or medical care. We can help you establish a SNT for your child to be funded until your child reaches age 65.
• Guardianship – For children older than 18 who have a developmental disability, mental illness, or other diminished capacity, a guardianship allows parents to continue to make important decisions regarding their health care and education. A guardianship also enables a parent or other trusted representative to access an adult child’s information from government agencies, banks, and hospitals. We can answer your questions about guardianship and guide you or someone your family trusts through the application process.

When Do You Need a Middlesex County Special Education Attorney?

You might have heard the saying that children with special needs get special parents. But it’s hard to feel special when you think you’re not being heard. Handling a school district and its interpretation of your child’s abilities and accommodations can be taxing. You know your child best, and what’s considered “adequate” under the law for your child’s education and well-being might not be in your child’s best interests.

The Middlesex County special needs attorneys at the Susan Clark Law Group LLC sympathize with parents and families fighting for their children’s educational rights because we’ve done the same for ours.

We want to support you with the legal advice, information, and resources you need when developing a 504 Plan or an IEP, dealing with discipline such as a suspension or expulsion from school, resolving conflict through mediation or a due process hearing, or designating a special needs trust or guardianship.

Talk to an Experienced Special Education Attorney in Middlesex County Now

Whether you want your child to have accommodations in a traditional public school classroom, have questions about disciplinary or placement decisions that a school district has made about your child, or want to plan for your child’s financial future, the Susan Clark Law Group LLC is here to serve you.

We’re passionate about helping families of students with special needs in Middlesex County. We want every child to get the education, assistance, and services they’re entitled by law to receive.

We’re glad to answer any questions you have so you can empower yourself and build a foundation for your child’s success. Please call us or contact our education attorney NJ online now.

* Free consultations for all estate and guardianship matters.
* Special education matters – consultation fee