Matthew D. Cohen
Attorney At Law
Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Consultation By: Email
Type of Consultation:
Questions regarding special education law.
Note:
Mr. Cohen will not provide legal advice via email. His consultation will be for general informational purposes only. Any
specific legal problems should be pursued with your own attorney.
Where necessary, Mr. Cohen will attempt to provide the individual with leads on where and how to secure an attorney. Mr. Cohen's consultations will be based on federal law and the individual will be directed to confirm appropriate state rules in each case. Mr. Cohen will endeavor to provide feedback within five (5) business days of the date the request is received, but provides no guarantee as to the response time, given the exigencies of scheduling, travel, or investigation, which may be needed to respond to a request.
About This Expert:
Matthew D. Cohen, an attorney well known for his work in special education law, has extensive experience in health care and mental health law. He has been the principal litigator in a number of important special education cases, most notably the Max M. v. Thompson, Lavon M. v. Turlington, McManus v. School Dist. 39, Joey T. v. Azcoitia, District 130 v. ISBE and Cara B. cases. He is the primary or collaborating author of several amendments to the mental health and special education laws of Illinois. In 1997, he was invited to the White House to participate in the signing ceremony for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997, in recognition of his participation in the process leading to passage of that legislation.
Mr. Cohen has lectured nationally on a wide variety of topics, including special education and mental health and confidentiality law and has authored numerous articles on these subjects. He has represented or consulted with hospitals, residential treatment centers, community mental health centers, agencies, police social workers and private health care, social services and education practitioners. Mr. Cohen is an adjunct professor of law at Loyola University Law School.
Mr. Cohen is Past President of the Board of Directors of the national Children and Adults With Attention Deficit Disorders organization (CHADD), as well as on the Professional Advisory Boards of the Northwest, Hyde Park and Northshore Illinois chapters of CHADD. He is a member of the Illinois Attorney General's Advisory Council on Disability Rights, where he chairs the Special Education Committee. He also is a founding board member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, (COPAA), a national special education advocacy organization. He also writes a periodic column for various CHADD publications and has many articles published in various books and magazines. He is the recipient of the 1993 Illinois-TASH Professional of the Year award. He is also the author of Barriers to Inclusion in Local Schools in Illinois: A Blueprint for Change, funded by a grant from the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities and provided expert testimony concerning his research in the Corey H. v. ISBE class action trial in the United States District Court.
While engaged in private law practice continuously since 1981, Mr. Cohen served as the Executive Director and Corporate Counsel of a large psychiatric services corporation from 1985 to 1990. Mr. Cohen received his law degree from the University of Minnesota (1981) and his bachelor's degree from Grinnell College (1977).
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