"What Everyone Should Know About Special Education Law"

9:00 -10:00 AM Special Education Law, Part I: This session begins with a broad overview of special education issues arising in general representation of students and families, and then provides a deeper analysis of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA).

10:00-10:15 AM BREAK

10:15-11:15 AM Special Education Law, Part II: This session builds on the first hour, discussing special education in concomitant actions, general holistic advocacy in court, discovery issues, and incorporating special education rights in juvenile proceedings.

11:15-11:30 AM BREAK

11:30 - 12:30: The Ethics of Empathy: This session considers the role of empathy as an essential element of legal practice when representing people with disabilities. The session will review the historical devaluation of individuals, the social role valorization movement in the United States, and its impact on special education law today. Developing an understanding of preexisting ideas within culture and society about various disabilities helps lawyers representing clients with disabilities see beyond their own experience and toward more effective representation .