Students have enforceable rights: children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education under the IDEA and Section 504; students facing suspension or expulsion are owed due process; and schools must respond to harassment and Title IX complaints. Education lawyers represent families in IEP meetings, due-process hearings, discipline appeals and lawsuits, and advise students and faculty in college misconduct proceedings.
What a education lawyer does
- Attends IEP/504 meetings and negotiates services and placements
- Files due-process complaints and state complaints under the IDEA
- Represents students at expulsion, Title IX and academic-misconduct hearings
- Pursues bullying, discrimination and restraint/seclusion claims
When you need a education lawyer
- The school refuses to evaluate your child or denies needed services
- Your child faces expulsion or alternative placement
- Bullying or harassment continues after you reported it
- A college student received a Title IX or conduct notice
Questions to ask before you hire a education lawyer
- What are my child’s rights at this meeting, and should you attend?
- What are the deadlines to request a hearing?
- Can we recover attorney’s fees if we prevail?
- Do you work with educational evaluators and advocates?
Find a education lawyer near you
Choose your state to see listed firms and the official bar directory for verifying any lawyer’s license.
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