Legal Resources | Commonwealth Autism Service

The Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE)
A partnership that aims to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The project is designed to address the information needs of the 6 million families throughout the Country whose children with disabilities receive special education services.

The Law Center for Children
Legal Services of Northern Virginia
Provides free legal assistance in education matters to qualified applicants.
Phone: 703-778-6800

Virginia Board For People with Disabilities
The Board seeks to empower Virginians with Disabilities to achieve their personal goals, to be self-reliant, and to participate fully in their communities by strengthening community involvement, building advocacy capacity, enhancing service delivery, and informing public policy.

Wrights Law
Legal information on special education law, specific page on autism to include inclusion, extended school year cases and more.
 

Altizer, Walk and White, PLLC
P.O. Box 30
209 East Main St
Tazewell, VA 24651
(276) 988-7979
Fax: (276) 988-6707
Thomas P. Walk


Center for Special Education Advocacy (CSEA)

CSEA offers a referral service for parents who have children with disabilities and are in need of legal assistance.
4600 Cox Road Suite 205
Glen Allen, VA 23060
(804) 967-2556
 

Charles M Henter, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Mr. Henter represents children and individuals with disabilities who require legal assistance involving special education, disability discrimination & harassment, employment concerns, juvenile justice and civil rights.
252 East High Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 817-1840

Children’s Law Center
CLC handles special education law and due process cases in Richmond metro area (including Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield counties). The CLC assists low-income families with special education issues.
T.C. Williams School of Law: University of Richmond
(804) 289-8921

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)

 
Commonwealth Community Trust
Commonwealth Community Trust, a nonprofit established in 1990, administers affordable and efficient third party Special Needs Trusts and self-funded Pooled Disability Trusts that protect Social Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid.
P.O. Box 29408
Richmond, VA  23242-0408
(804) 740-6930
(888) 241-6039

Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE)

Ed Law Center

IDEA Parent Guide

Just Children
Just Children provides community education and legal assistance for children and families. Special education and school discipline are priority issues. Legal assistance is generally restricted to income eligible families.
1000 Preston Avenue
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(434) 977-0533
Toll-free: (800) 578-8111
Richmond Office: (804) 643-1086
Petersburg Office: (804) 862-2297
Falls Church Office: (703) 778-3450

The Law Center for Children
TLC provides free legal services to children from low-income families in Northern Virginia. TLC specializes in the areas of special education, student discipline, public benefits, adoptions, family issues, guardianships, power of attorneys, name changes and emancipation.
c/o Legal Services of Northern Virginia
Falls Church, VA
(703) 778-6800
Office Locations: Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Manassas, Leesburg

Lois Manes
Williamsburg, VA
Phone: 757-229-6224

Malcolm Higgins
Virginia Beach, VA
Phone: 757-463-9000

Rappahannock Legal Services
RLS assists low-income families with special education law issues and cases in its service area.
Fredericksburg, VA
(540) 371-1105

Virginia Legal Aid Society
VLAS is a nonprofit organization provides free legal information, advice and representations in civil cases to low-income families and individuals in 20 counties and seven cities in Central, South, and Western Virginia. VLAS represents and provides advocacy to expelled or suspended students with disabilities on issues that include provision of special education services.
(1-866) 534-5243

Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA)
VOPA assists with disability related problems such as abuse, neglect, and discrimination. VOPA helps people with disabilities obtain services and treatment, and provide advocacy services and/or legal representation for students with disabilities.
1910 Byrd Avenue Suite 5
Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 225-2042
Toll-free: (800) 552-3962

Virginia State Bar: Lawyer Referral Service
VLRS will provide the name and telephone number of a lawyer in your community who has indicated a particular interest in handling special education law issues and cases.
(804) 775-0808
Toll-free: (800) 552-7977
 

 

Commonwealth Autism Service does not endorse any individual care provider. Information on this page is for reference purposes only and is not an exhaustive list.