Franczek is the law firm of choice for Illinois schools. We concentrate in education, labor, and employment law, in both the public and private sectors. We represent a broad spectrum of elementary and secondary school districts, special education cooperatives, charter schools, and institutions of higher education, primarily in Illinois.

Franczek’s special education team is the largest in the state, with twelve attorneys devoting some or all of their practices to the field. Our special education attorneys are known for their mastery of special education laws, but also have a keen sense of the strategic and practical considerations that come into play in this area. Our special education attorneys have extensive experience supporting staff at IEP meetings, 504 meetings, and mediations. We proactively engage with clients to help prevent legal issues and minimize liability risk before a problem arises.  We also have vast expertise representing clients in administrative due process hearings and the continuing stages of litigation, and we have successfully represented clients in precedent-setting cases. Because of our extensive experience, we counsel clients not only about what is “legally required,” but also about what is most effective when serving special education students and their families. It is the melding of this knowledge that minimizes disputes and leads to success.

Through this blog, we aim to provide relevant and timely information for school leaders and educators about special education law, with a special focus on topics of particular interest to our clients and friends in Illinois.