Legal advocacy doesn't have to be adversarial. Sometimes just knowing your rights and having me guide you behind the scenes when you're advocating for yourself, or having me at the table at a Team meeting, is enough. Just know, you don't have to go through this alone. I'd like to help.
The purpose of IDEA is "[t]o ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living."
Every child with disabilities has unique needs. With my background in special education and law, I understand what difficult paths families of children with disabilities are facing. You, as a parent, should not feel powerless when your child is struggling at school.
Although many issues can be resolved between parents and school districts on their own, sometimes an agreement simply cannot be reached without an attorney getting involved. I will advocate for you and your child to ensure, to the best of my ability, that the unique needs of your child are met. Depending on your case, that advocacy may take place in a Team meeting, over the phone, in Mediation, through a PRS Complaint, through a Due Process hearing, or through a Settlement Agreement. If you have questions, let's talk.
I enjoy meeting with my young clients. I ask them about school and really listen to their answers, paying attention to what their frustrations or challenges are, what their favorite things are, and what they wish could be different. This allows me to observe their behavior and presentation as well. It's a great perspective to have when communicating with the school.
2020 Individual Attorney Pro Bono Honor Roll by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services
2021 Individual Attorney Pro Bono Honor Roll by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services
PRESENTATIONS:
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“Updates on How COVID-19 Is Effecting the Rights of Children With Special Needs” (NSPAC, 5/2020)
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Session 1 - "How COVID-19 Has Impacted Special Education" (Jewish Federation of Central Mass, 6/2020)
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Session 2 - "How COVID-19 Has Impacted Special Education" (Jewish Federation of Central Mass, 8/2020)
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“Obstacles COVID-19 Has Created for Parents and Their Children Who Are on, or Need To Be on, IEPs and 504s, and More ..." (NSPAC, 8/2020)
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Session 3 - "Back to School. How's It Going? How It Should Be Going." (JFCM, 11/4/2020)
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"Special Education Law for the Non-Lawyer - Understanding COVID Compensatory Services and More." (Grafton SEPAC, 12/2/2020)
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Q&A (NSPAC, 4/13/21)
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"Back to School and Special Education" (Northborough Free Library, 8/17/21)
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"Back to School and Special Education" (Westborough Public Library, 9/14/21)
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"Special Education Law" (Hudson SEPAC, 11/3/21)
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"Overview of Special Education Law" (Community Legal Aid of Worcester Pro Bono Attorney Training, 9/15/22)
Upcoming: TBD
CERTIFICATIONS/APPOINTMENTS:
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Attorney, Committee for Public Counsel Services Committee (CPCS), Children and Family Law, Child Requiring Assistance (March 2022-present)
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Special Education GAL in the Worcester Juvenile Court
BAR ADMISSIONS:
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
MEMBERSHIPS:
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COPAA
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MassBar Association
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Women's Bar Association
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SPaN (currently inactive)
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Worcester County Bar Association (currently inactive)
VOLUNTEER:
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CASA (currently inactive)
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Community Legal Aid (Worcester)
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Massachusetts Advocates for Children
EDUCATION:
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JD from New England School of Law
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BS from Lesley College in Human Services with a Specialization in Early Intervention, and Minor in Psychology
INEVITABLE JOURNEY TO SPECIAL EDUCATION LAW
Special Education - Attorney Allexenberg earned her BS at Lesley College (now Lesley University) in Human Services (specialization in Early Intervention), a Minor in Psychology, and interned at three placements: The Boston Shriners Hospital for Children, Pediatric Burns Unit; the Cerebral Palsy Association (click here for the Story of Georgie); and a first grade classroom in Bradford, England. She realized she wanted to advocate for this vulnerable population and discovered her passion for ...
Law - She worked full-time at the United States Attorney's Office in Boston while attending Law School nights. She also completed three internships (DCF Legal Department, Law School Legal Aid Clinic, and appellate work for a CPCS attorney) working with children or legal aid in some capacity, all while maintaining her job at the USAO.
Attorney Allexenberg earned her JD at New England School of Law (now New England Law) and went to work doing general practice. She handled a variety of cases from family law, personal injury, and general litigation to landlord/tenant law, real estate, and consumer protection law.
When Attorney Allexenberg's children were young, she took a sabbatical to be with her family. During that time, she volunteered in her sons’ classrooms. She observed the children who had difficulties and was able to provide support because of her education and practical experience. She helped run a program called Understanding Learning Differences at the local Elementary School. This was a program for fourth graders who, working in groups, were provided with physical and sensory obstacles that challenged them and provided them with the unique opportunity to understand how peers with disabilities might experience school. She also worked as a substitute special education aid. Her world kept returning to children and special education.
Special Education Law - Attorney Allexenberg remained active in law as well. She became a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Judges placed considerable weight on her reports to the Court concerning children who were removed from their homes for abuse or neglect and placed with foster families. She also volunteered for the Worcester County District Attorney's Office Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Unit, doing research and assisting ADAs on cases. Then, when her sons became more independent, she was asked to take on special education cases, pro bono, for the Community Legal Aid Office in Worcester. Finally, the marriage of her two passions.
Attorney Allexenberg currently lives in Central Massachusetts with her family.
