Matthew T Famiglietti

My office focuses on Disability Law, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Employment Law, Asylum Law, and Special Education Law. All of these areas have one thing in common – helping those who are being discriminated against through no fault of their own. I opened my first law office in 1994 because I believe strongly that one individual can make a difference. Having a disability, and living with that disability every day, gives me a unique insight into issues that affect people with disabilities. I have a deep commitment to providing quality legal services to others with disabilities. Of course, I brings that same commitment to those without disabilities as well.

As a long-standing member of MWELA, I have over 25 years of experience in Employment Discrimination law and have settled or won cases against multiple federal agencies as well as private sector firms. I have worked with clients to have their security clearances restored, keep their jobs, and obtain reasonable accommodations. I have worked with clients to obtain financial remuneration after they had already lost their jobs due to various forms of discrimination.

My own disability allows me to understand the needs of my Social Security Disability (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) clients in a way others may not, and I am a passionate advocate for my clients. I have been a member of NOSSCR for many years and regularly participate in their National Day of Advocacy. I am careful to evaluate each case individually, and will give my honest assessment. In today’s political climate Social Security cases are more and more difficult to win, so it is more important than ever to have an experienced attorney on your side.

Special Education holds a special place in my heart. I was the first disabled child to graduate from my own high school before federal and state Special Education laws were enacted, and I attributes this to my mother. I watched my mother literally break down barriers for me, from making sure that a class was moved from the second floor to the first floor so I could attend the class, to fighting for and getting ramps and automatic doors installed, to going toe to toe with both my high school and college administration officials. I literally hear a bell ring every time I win a Social Security Disability case or a Special Education case, and I know my mother is getting her angel wings. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her, and she is the reason I do this type of law. I am the author of the e-book What Every Parent and Lawyer Should Know About Special Education, and a passionate advocate for parents and children with disabilities.

I joined AILA in 2017 with the goal of helping those seeking asylum based on the fear of persecution either now or in the future on the grounds of sexual orientation, government sponsored violence, gang-related violence, and political persecution. I have an active asylum case load working with clients seeking relief from persecution for various grounds.

I have been a CLE instructor and have taught seminars for AARP's Legal Counsel for the Elderly, the Archdiocese Legal Network of DC (Catholic Charities), the DC Bar, and other service organizations. I served as a Guardian ad Litem for abused and neglected children in South Carolina. I was an advocate for the SC Protection & Advocacy System for the Handicapped where I advocated for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities, represented families and children with disabilities in numerous Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings with local school districts in South Carolina, and presented seminars on the rights of disabled children to have a free and appropriate education.

I worked at the University of South Carolina Center for Developmental Disabilities, and the US Department of Labor. I graduated from the College of Charleston and earned my JD at the University of South Carolina School of Law.