School Bullying Lawyer
This specialty law group by OGC Solutions®, chaired by our Education Lawyer Laura A. Siclari, advocates for the rights of students experiencing bullying and harassment in school. This includes HIB (harassment, intimidation, and bullying) issues/investigations, as well as higher education bullying cases. Bullying and harassment can occur at any school, at any grade level. Seeing an OGC bullying lawyer is the first step in protecting your child or student.
School Discipline & Bullying
When schools discipline students, parents must make sure that the school is following district policy and applicable New Jersey law. Similarly, when students are victims or the accused in a HIB allegation, the New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights requires specific actions and a set timeline for the investigation.
We assist parents in navigating such matters to ensure that, whatever side of the disciplinary or HIB action their child may fall, the school follows its policies and New Jersey law to ensure that the rights of all students are protected.
Higher Education Bullying Lawyer
Bullying doesn’t always end when a student goes to college. Fortunately, neither do their rights.
For college students with disabilities, both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provide protections to ensure they are not excluded or unfairly limited. We counsel students and their parents to ensure that students are accommodated reasonably.
Our firm’s higher education attorney works to ensure that the due process rights of our students – whether victims or accused – are being asserted and met at all stages of the investigation and hearing process.
OPRA and Public Records
An often overlooked but sometimes important tool for a family in making informed education-related decisions for their children involves obtaining relevant public records from school districts and other government agencies. We are skilled at drafting narrow, targeted requests that will increase the probability that access will be provided to these records without the need for litigation. This can save you, money, time, and stress.
When litigation for school bullying is unavoidable, our attorneys are adept at obtaining court orders mandating disclosure and triggering the fee-shifting provision of the OPRA statute that is available to prevailing parties.
Please contact Laura Siclari for more information.
Special Education Bullying
Every child between the ages of 3 and 21 who has a disability that adversely affects his or her education is entitled to a free and appropriate public education, free from bullying. Unfroatenly, students with disabilities or special needs are at a substantially higher risk for bullying.
Our special education bullying lawyer assists families of special needs students in accessing the support they need in school. We can participate in the initial assessment stage, help with negotiating an appropriate IEP (individualized educational plan) or Section 504 Plan, and file for Due Process or mediation when parents and their respective school districts have reached an impasse.