BLOG

Click any post to read full article.

November 18, 2014

Navigating the Holidays after Divorce

Plan ahead! Don’t wait until the last minute to work out the details of the holiday. This includes travel plans, pick up and drop off and other details. Let everyone know in advance what the plans and schedule are. Try to work together and keep your children at the forefront […]

May 15, 2014

No Fault Dependency/Custody Relinquishment Prevention Act HB5598HFA2

Several times a year, parents come to our office and ask us to help them relinquish custody to the State in order to get their child needed mental health services. Often these children are adopted, but not always. What they do have in common is severe mental health needs that […]

December 3, 2013

A Word on Affordable Health Care or the Lack Thereof

Today’s articles in the New York Times, and discussions with our clients over the past week that have resulted in tears regarding the lack of access to appropriate health care, has prompted me to write this blog post. The headlines read: As Hospital Prices Soar, A Single Stitch Tops $500.00: […]

December 2, 2013

On Families

On Tuesday, November 26, 2013, the New York Times ran a lengthy piece entitled Families: The Changing American Family. The article chronicles the changing face of the American family and the complexities behind those statistics. In this article, the families were complicated. They were bi-racial, gay and lesbian, Protestants, Catholics, […]

March 29, 2013

Karma

Last week I received a call from a lawyer who had reviewed a CLE presentation I had done on School Discipline. He was handling his first expulsion case and wanted some advice. I was busy and thought for a brief moment that I just couldn’t take the time to help. […]

March 27, 2013

Reflections of a Special Education Lawyer

Yesterday, I traveled to Rockford, Illinois, to give a presentation on Special Education Law to a group of parents of children with autism. The parents had arrived early on a Saturday morning, anxious to hear how to navigate the labyrinth of the special education system. I agreed to trek nearly […]

February 14, 2013

More Thoughts on Gun Violence

Two Days ago, as I drove home from work, it was announced that the police have charged two people in the murder of Hadiya Pendleton. Like everyone, I was relieved. The radio announcer went on to give the names and ages of these young me, 18 and 20. These young […]

February 13, 2013

Thoughts on Gun Violence

On Saturday, I was working at home and decided to turn on the news. I found the broadcast of Hadiya Pendleton’s funeral and stayed to watch. I was deeply moved by her death and this celebration of her life. The choir sang “We Shall Overcome”. We must. This is a […]

January 10, 2013

Twenty Somethings – A Unique Practice Area

In the early days of opening our child -focused practice, we represented mostly children and adolescents. However, as the years have gone by, our focus has expanded to include legal representation of emerging young adults as a significant population.* (ages 18-29). For young people with disabilities, including learning disabilities and […]

January 2, 2013

January 1, 2013

Happy New Year to all my clients and colleagues. The last several months have been very humbling and have provided me with a window into what having a disability means on a day to day basis. In late October, on an ordinary evening, I was walking my dog in the […]

September 25, 2012

When is a Therapeutic Non-Mainstream Placement Justified?

FAQ: What are the factors that schools and/or hearing officers consider when recommending or ordering a therapeutic day school? Parents and/or schools should be prepared to demonstrate that the school considered and implemented reasonable interventions and supports to attempt to make the mainstream placement work. FAQ: What are some of […]