(562) 699-2412 (LA)
(949) 419-6196 (OC)
(951) 240-5610 (IE)
(805) 275-4144 (VEN/SB)
(800) 618-1448 (ALL CALIFORNIA)
For our Covid-19 concerned clients, our offices have plexiglass separation and 11 feet social distancing (with mask wearing) plus clients can be retained by phone and Internet options.
Jeffrey A. Gottlieb, A California Special Needs Attorney
5200 Warner Avenue, Suite 103
Huntington Beach (central office), CA 92649
ph: (562) 699-2412 or (949) 419-6196
jeff
SPECIAL NEEDS ATTORNEY SERVICES
Conservatorships
Wills & Trust (Estate Planning)
Special Needs Trusts
Special Education Due Process
Regional Center Eligibility
SSI Appeals for Children
Divorce with a Disabled Child
(including Adult Child Support)
Mediation
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We are a special needs law firm; that is our focus, representing clients in Northern, Central and Southern California.
We provide a very specific spectrum of services on behalf of families with a special needs family member.
Our law firm advocates on behalf of you and your disabled family member, whether at a Conservatorship hearing, at a Regional Center forum, at an OAH (special education) administrative hearing, at a SSI appeal hearing, in a Family Law court or just setting up a special needs trust; all addressing the unique circumstances and requirements of an individual with special needs.
Lastly, we also provide Wills & Trust estate planning services to families that want to plan ahead, such that their family members are protected (this part of our services evolved from our special needs trust practice to include all families whether with or without an existing disabled family member).
Service Area Coverage
For Conservatorships and Regional Center (initial) eligibility matters, serving all of Southern California as well as Santa Barbara, Kern and Ventura Counties.
For Family Law matters (including adult child support), serving all of California.
For SSI appeals and special education due process services, serving Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
For general wills and trust planning (including special needs trusts), we serve all of Southern California.
Master Card, Visa & AMEX Accepted for attorney fees
Limited Conservatorship of Special Needs Adult
When a disabled child becomes 18 years of age, the law views the 18 year old as being able to make his or her own decisions. However, this is not a practical situation as the disabled adult chid is incapable of making his or her own decisions. Fortunately, California law has developed a specific form of a conservatorship to address the unique needs of developmentally disabled adults; this is referred to as a “limited" conservatorship.
We can assist you in obtaining a customized conservatorship on behalf of your adult child. Review the conservatorship webpage tab above and give us a call.
Family Law Involving a Special Needs Child
As part of our practice, we offer legal services in the area of marriage dissolution (divorce), child custody, visitation, property division as well as spousal and child support. As a result of our expertise working with special needs children, we are able to effectively address the unique custody and support issues related to children with disabilities whether autism, down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, or any other condition with unique parental and resource requirements. We also have extensive experience obtaining adult child support (refer to webpage above titled "DIVORCE & SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN").
Special Needs Trust
If you have a special needs child, it is essential that your estate planning includes a special needs trust. Failure to do so can cost your child lost government benefits as well as fewer resources, upon your passing away. We understand special needs planning; give us a call.
SSI Appeals
If you have either a minor or adult child with a developmental disability and your child has been denied SSI deligiblity, we are available to manage your appeal and advocate your case before a judge.
Our experience, not only with SSI appeals, but also our experience with special education/regional center and clincial documentation provides our SSI appeal clients with uniquely qualified attorney representation.
Again, our practice is highly focused on the specific legal rights of special needs children and young adults.
Special Education - Due Process
The focus of our special education/IEP attorney services are due process representation. Our office is prepared to file an appeal on your child’s behalf with the California Office of Administrative Hearings (“OAH”) – Special Education Division.
Regional Center Eligibility
There are five categories in which an individual can be eligible for regional center services. These include intellectual disablity (generally an IQ less than 70), cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or a condition similar to intellectual disability. Also, the indiviudal must have significant adaptive behavioral deficits (e.g., as to self help, learning, self direction, etc.) If your son or daughter has been wrongfully denied eligibility we can help. We have a track record of reversing regional center eligibility denials.
It is not unusual for a regional center to wrongfully deny an individual eligibility as a regional center consumer. If your minor or adult child has been denied eligiblity, please feel free to call us to discuss our services and fees.
Please note that our regional center law practice is limited to initial eligibility determination or where the regional center wants to remove the individual from continuing to be a regional center consumer. That is, we do not represent active/current regional center consumers disputing issues other than remaining a regional center consumer.
Please note that our regional center law practice is limited to initial eligibility determination or where the regional center wants to remove the individual from continuing to be a regional center consumer. That is, we do not represent active/current regional center consumers disputing issues other than remaining a regional center consumer.
Mediation - Special Needs
For the longest time, our office has had a unique focus on litigation; specifically representing one parent of a special needs child or a special needs adult against the other parent. Most of the litigation cases involve contested divorces and contested conservatorships. We still take litigation cases and remain pasionate about representing our litigation clients. Now, we are gradually transitioning towards offering mediation services on behalf of individuals (e.g., parents) with a disabled minor or adult child.
The fact is that most mediators have no significant experience with special needs litigation, do not understand the developmentally disabled and never have had a significant number of cases involving a special needs minor or adult. We do have that unqiue background. That is all we do.
When we take on a mediation case we are a nuetral participant simply facilitating resolution without going to trial (eliminating the stress of trial and signficantly reducing your payment to attorneys).
A mediator cannot order you to do anything. All that’s required to make mediation successful is that both people show up willing to negotiate and be open to compromise. That is where we can help.
This website is intended for educational and informational purposes only . The use of this website shall not be considered to create an attorney-client relationship. Readers are responsible for obtaining their own legal advice based on the facts unique to their own situation/circumstances.
Copyright 2009 Special Education Attorney At Law .com. All rights reserved.
Jeffrey A. Gottlieb, A California Special Needs Attorney
5200 Warner Avenue, Suite 103
Huntington Beach (central office), CA 92649
ph: (562) 699-2412 or (949) 419-6196
jeff