Have Questions? Contact Us.
Since its inception, NYCLA has been at the forefront of most legal debates in the country. We have provided legal education for more than 40 years.
Inside the System: How Special Education Cases Are Built, Evaluated, and Decided
In-person and Webinar
Inside the System: How Special Education Cases Are Built, Evaluated, and Decided
Start
06/09/2026 - 5:30 PM
End
06/09/2026 - 8:00 PM
COURSE DETAILS
Please note: Newly admitted attorneys must take this program in-person to qualify for Skills CLE credits.
In-person location: NYCLA, 111 Broadway, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10006
Join us for a moderated panel bringing together special education attorneys, former NYC Department of Education leadership, an Impartial Hearing Officer, and educational leadership to show how cases are actually handled across the system.
The program will provide a practical, real-world examination of how special education cases are developed, challenged, and ultimately decided. Through a moderated discussion, panelists will walk through the lifecycle of a case, offering insight into how decisions are made at each stage and how strategy, evidence, and educational factors influence outcomes.
Topics will include early case evaluation, building an effective evidentiary record, and strategic decision-making around settlement and hearing. This includes what drives cases toward settlement and when it makes sense to proceed to a hearing. The panel will also address what makes evidence and testimony credible, what decision-makers focus on, what weakens a case even when the underlying facts appear strong, where cases commonly break down, and how attorneys and educational providers can better align to support both the student and the case.
Attendees will leave with practical guidance they can apply immediately to assessing case strength, building a record that holds up, and presenting their case at a hearing.
FACULTY
Faculty: Celeste Gagliardi, Chief Education Officer, Gersh Autism Academy; Ariel Zitrin, Esq., Founder, AZ & CB Law & Consulting; Paul Barger, Esq., Founder, Barger & Gaines; Solange Captan, Esq., Founder, Solange Captan Legal PC; Vanessa M. Gronbach, Esq., Founder, Gronbach Law Offices
Moderator: Christopher Barnett, Esq., Co-Founder, AZ & CB Law & Consulting
Program Coordinator: Jonathan Martin, Special Education Liaison, Gersh Autism Academy
Program Co-sponsor: Gersh Autism Academy
CLE CREDITS
3 NY Credits: 3 Skills; Transitional and Non-transitional
Please note: Newly admitted attorneys must take this program in-person to qualify for Skills CLE credits.
GENERAL INFORMATION
To register: click the Register button below. The website will prompt you to log in or create an account to complete the checkout. If you are not a member, please join the membership before completing the checkout to take advantage of the member’s price. Registration closes 30 minutes before the program.
For technical and account-related issues, please get in touch with us at dradjabov@nycla.org
In-person location: NYCLA, 111 Broadway 10th Fl, New York, NY 10006
Webinar Link: After completing the checkout, you will receive a separate email with webinar access instructions. That email will arrive closer to the program start time. If you are still waiting to receive an access email 30 minutes before the program, please email cle@nycla.org.
Course Materials: We will email the link to download course materials 30 minutes before the program starts.
CLE Certificates (if applicable): After verifying your attendance, we will add your certificate to the “Download CLE Certificates” page, which you can access from your “My Account” page.
Tuition Assistance: Tuition Assistance is available by application to qualified attorneys. Click here for application and submission procedure.