Special Ed Consultant vs. Special Ed Attorney
An educational consultant and a special education lawyer are two distinct jobs with very specific skill sets. While there can be overlap, parents should be aware of how the roles differ when obtaining help for their child with special needs.
A Special Education Consultant
A consultant is a specialist that helps parents obtain the right placement for their child by advising on placement decisions or changes. Many educational consultants enter the field because they have a child who has special needs or are former teachers or coaches who have useful experience and expertise. Consultants also can mediate and guide conversations with the district that work towards obtaining services. In addition, they can help implement learning methodology or necessary management needs.
Special Education Attorney
Special education lawyers, by contrast, are not educational professionals — they are legal professionals. Attorneys enter the process when parents are not gaining ground and need to more aggressively assert their rights (rather than ask and hope that a child’s educational rights will be respected and honored).
Herein lies the major distinction: The educational consultant may enter the process when a parent still wants to preserve a relationship with the public school. The attorney enters when things become more adversarial.
Parents have to determine at what point to engage the variety of services available. In our practice, we may recommend that a family utilize an educational consultant first, particularly if the family wants to continue working with their public school. Bringing in an attorney can burn more bridges than it builds, and also encourages a more hostile stance from the school district.
If the situation warrants legal action, special education lawyers have more enforcement tools and mechanisms. Please contact us with your questions.
Jonathan Gottlieb
Partner
195 Montague Street
14th Floor
Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
Jonathan@GottliebFirm.com
(646) 820-8506