COPAA TO PRESENT BAKER & MCKENZIE WITH DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. is proud to announce that it will present an award for Distinguished Service to the law firm of Baker & McKenzie at its annual conference in March 2008.  COPAA thanks Baker & McKenzie for its outstanding pro bono work on behalf of children with disabilities for nearly four years.   The firm has displayed great dedication to ensuring that children with disabilities receive free appropriate public educations. 

In 2006, Baker & McKenzie wrote COPAA's amicus brief in support of the petition for a writ of certiorari in Winkelman v. Parma City School District, and later, COPAA's amicus brief on the merits.  It argued that parents have the right to represent themselves in court to enforce their IDEA rights and protect their children's access to a free appropriate public education.  The merits brief was joined by 11 other disabilities organizations.  In 2007, Baker & McKenzie wrote an amicus brief in John M. v. Bd. of Education of Evanston Township, urging the Seventh Circuit to protect the stay-put rights of children with disabilities, so they may receive the educational services they need.

Baker & McKenzie has advocated with Congress to remove the attorneys' fees caps in the District of Columbia.  These caps prevent parents from adequately pursuing their children's right to a free appropriate public education. The firm has also provided other invaluable pro bono assistance to COPAA and our mission of protecting the educational and civil rights of children with disabilities. 

The Baker & McKenzie lawyers involved in these volunteer efforts have included Angela C. Vigil, Erin Maus, Lynn S. Preece, Shoshana Isaac, Marianna Lvovsky, Carl Hampe, Roxane Busey, Liquita L. Thompson, Amber Hoffman, Kelly Going, Julie Lehrman, and Christian C. Hallet. 

COPAA is proud to present this award to Baker & McKenzie for the firm's distinguished service to children with disabilities.  The award will be given at COPAA's annual conference on March 8, 2008 in Anaheim, California.