Katherine G Gerland

We initially hired Kate to consult with a special ed attorney from another law firm we had hired for our son. Kate had experience with JeffCo school district, while our first attorney did not. Over the course of several months, we realized that our first attorney was a bad 'fit' for us and our situ...ation. We released the first attorney and hired Kate to represent our son. Kate was a Godsend! She effortlessly worked with our outside experts and us--we are lawyers but not in the special ed realm. Kate was very patient in explaining the differences between how the law is written and how it actually works in the real world. (Note: for parents of special ed kids, while IDEA and 504 can seem clear and have strict standards, the actual implementation of those rights is weighted in favor of the school district.) Kate knew how JeffCo and its attorneys work--attempting to provoke parents' anger (so they make mistakes or seem unreasonable), blame the kid (either faking or not as severe), limit options, or limit settlements. Kate made sure that we appeared calm and logical-even though we were raging on the inside. Kate also made sure we stayed in the position where a Court would view our behavior as helpful and within the standards IDEA requires. That included allowing the district to conduct an 'evaluation' at our son's out-of-state residential placement. With Kate by our side, we went through the 'stages' from 'evaluation', to eligibility, to IEP, to due process complaint, to settlement. In terms of an IEP, Kate helped us understand the disability category mattered less than IEP services/goals. While our son is autistic and schizophrenic, the district offered an IEP based on other health impaired category & did not find him eligible under the autism or serious emotional disturbance categories. While it made no sense to us & we wanted to hold out for the proper categories, Kate astutely pointed out that it isn't how you get there (category) but what you get when you are there (services). IEP goals, services, and objectives are confusing if you are not in the special ed realm. Kate was able to take our experts' conclusions (what our son needed to get an education) and turn those into IEP-specific standards tailored for our son. The settlement process was difficult and, again, Kate was invaluable. While it seemed to us (as lawyers and parents) that we had an open and shut case-Kate walked us through all the arguments the school would make and how they could win on those arguments. Again, IDEA and 504 are weighted in favor of the school district. We realized we would never be made whole financially or emotionally. BUT, as Kate pointed out, we could get something back AND get our son an education AND avoid an overly stressful, emotional, long-term legal battle. Kate is a phenomenal special education attorney who focuses on the family unit and what is best for them. Sometimes that means you will have to settle with the school district but it does provide you the emotional wherewithal to focus on your disabled child (and non-disabled siblings who get put on the back burner during this process). Kate is a true expert in this field and you should be confident in her ability to handle even the most complex cases. Unlike other attorneys, she does not need to be micro-managed and can be a trusted adviser and advocate. As a lawyer, I fully recommend Kate for your special ed needs. She is reasonably priced and will work for and seek the best for your family. Her vast experience will work in your favor and help you get the best outcome available for your situation. **As a non-practicing attorney, this review is not being traded for client referrals. Rather, it purely based on our 21 month experience.**