Hiring a Special-Ed Lawyer

I would start by visiting the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) at copaa.com. They have a resource directory of special-education and disability attorneys located throughout the country.

You may also contact your local chapter of Children and Adults with AD/HD (CHADD), at chadd.org, or the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), at ldanatl.org, to get personal recommendations from organization members.

Attorneys charge by the hour, and rates vary from $200 to $500 per hour. It is important to know your attorney’s billing rate, and whether she will let you pay on a sliding scale, before hiring her.

Federal law requires public schools to provide additional educational services to children who need them and who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). If you are challenging the decision of a school district under that act, the statute authorizes reimbursement of attorney’s fees if you win the case.