Michelle Siegel
It has been a dream since I was thirteen years old to fight in the field of civil rights. Assisting families in their struggle to obtain equal access to education for their children is both an honor and an incredible privilege. Having worked exclusively in this area of law in New York City since 2009, I have the unique expertise to provide you with unparalleled representation.
I have carefully selected a team of attorneys, advocates, and legal support professionals that not only excel in their areas of expertise, but also CARE about your family. We will compassionately and aggressively represent your family in your struggle to secure the appropriate educational programs and services you are legally entitled to in New York City. I am committed to upholding the rights of individuals with disabilities and have the track record to prove it.
Our office consistently prevails in due process hearings and is incredibly successful in obtaining favorable settlements for our clients. We are fully equipped to assist your family throughout every step of the process, including advocating for an appropriate IEP through securing your award.
I began practicing law in New York in 2003 at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, where I successfully prosecuted complex felony cases in the Major Narcotics Investigations Bureau and Special Victims Unit. A graduate of the University of San Francisco, I am admitted to practice law in New York and California and am a member of the bar of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Jared Stein
For over 15 years, Jared Stein has worked on behalf of students at greatest risk for educational exclusion, failure, or discrimination. Jared was a Project Director at Advocates for Children of New York, Inc., where he managed a program funded by the Robin Hood Foundation. He represented families in special education hearings, delivered professional development sessions on a variety of education-related topics, and engaged in capacity building with a cohort of fellow Robin Hood grantees. Before that, Jared held the position of Assistant Project Director at the New York State Technical and Education Assistance Center for Homeless Students, where he advised school districts, families, and government entities on the application and interpretation of laws protecting students in temporary housing. Jared is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University School of Social Work, where he teaches both organizational change as well as advocacy.
Jared completed undergraduate studies at Cornell University (B.S.). He earned graduate degrees in both law (J.D.) and social work (M.S.W.) at the University of Michigan. He is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and New York
Jonathan Stead
Jonathan has more than a decade of experience in civil rights, much of it spent fighting to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded equal access to education, employment, housing, transportation, and public places. He began his career at the New York State Division of Human Rights, where he investigated both individual and systemic cases of discrimination in a wide variety of settings. Among the cases he handled were complaints leading to industry-wide improvements in disability access in the banking industry and the accessibility of retail store entrances in New York State. He was also part of the State’s response to high-profile incidents of bias and discrimination in New York schools.
Jonathan subsequently worked as an attorney for New York City’s Departments of Education and Transportation. In the former role, he handled all aspects of special education claims brought against the City. In the latter, he advised the agency on employment and civil rights issues, in particular measures necessary to ensure the City’s pedestrian transportation network was accessible to people with disabilities. His work included helping to negotiate and implement a settlement in which the City made a historic commitment to upgrade the accessibility of corner ramps at every street crossing in the City.
Jonathan is a licensed attorney in New York and New Jersey. He is a founding Co-Chair of the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Civil Rights Committee, serves as a volunteer small claims arbitrator for the New York court system, and has taught courses in ethics at St. Joseph’s College. Jonathan is a graduate of Hunter College and Rutgers School of Law. While at Rutgers, he first practiced in the area of special education in the school’s special education law clinic and was awarded the ABA/BNA Award for Excellence in Health Law for his work. He is thrilled to return to the field to advocate for the needs of children in the New York City school system.
Analise Altobelli
Analise Altobelli graduated with a B.A. in English Literature degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. After working for a legal services organization serving families and their children with disabilities and then working for a special education attorney in Maryland, Analise moved to New York in order to continue her passion for helping students with disabilities get an equal right to education.
Michael Athy
Michael is deeply committed to advocating for equal access to education, particularly for children with special needs. His career in education began as a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea, followed by service with City Year and Americorps. Transitioning to law, Michael started as a litigation and internal investigations attorney at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. His focus shifted to special education law after a pro bono partnership with Advocates for Children, where he advocated for student’s rights at charter schools. Subsequently, Michael served as a civil rights attorney at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where he addressed discrimination in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education under Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and the ADA.
Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from Villanova University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Lesley Berson
Lesley has over a decade of litigation experience, the bulk of those years spent at the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York representing the City of New York, its agencies, and employees. During that time she appeared in Surrogate’s Court, Federal District Court, and nearly every forum in between, litigating a wide range of issues. The issue she litigated more than any other, however, was the right of children with disabilities to an appropriate education under the IDEA. In addition to her own load of federal IDEA cases, she supervised a team of attorneys that litigated over 80 such cases in two years. She is now using her expertise to advocate on parents’ behalf.
Lesley received her bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Duke University, and graduated from the City University of New York School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in New York State, and is admitted to practice in the Southern and Eastern District Courts of New York.
Joseph DaProcida
Joe has been assisting parents of students with special needs for over 13 years. He comes from a close-knit family who have advocated for the rights of a disabled family member for 60 years. Joe has over 30 years of experience in litigation roles, including 14 years with the Litigation Department of Greenberg Traurig, LLP, handling securities-related investment disputes. He began practicing special education law while partnering with Advocates for Children on impartial hearing cases.
Joe received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from University at Albany and his J.D.from the Hofstra University School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New York State. Prior to pursuing a career in law, Joe taught in New York City High Schools.
Evan Davis
Evan is a dedicated advocate for children with special needs, driven by years of experience in public school classrooms. He began his career as a corps member with City Year and Teach For America, where he gained a deep understanding of the challenges faced by special education students and their families.
Inspired by his time as a teacher, Evan decided to pursue a legal career focused on advocating for children’s rights. Evan graduated from Emory University School of Law with honors and is eager to help special education students obtain the services they need to succeed.
Peter Herold
As the father of a neurodiverse child, Peter Herold has experienced first-hand the challenges and inequities facing special needs children and their families. After receiving his BA from Boston University and his JD from Brooklyn Law School, Peter worked in commercial litigation before transferring to a career in finance. After years of navigating the cumbersome world of the special education tuition reimbursement process on his son’s behalf, Peter was inspired to return to the practice of law for the specific purpose of helping similarly situated families secure the education and services their children need and deserve. Peter understands as well as anyone the importance of this vital niche of the law and is proud to represent families from the special needs community that he himself is a part of.
Makeba James
Makeba James graduated with a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Rochester. While at college, she developed a passion for advocacy, social justice, and fighting for underrepresented groups. Makeba is excited to be a part of our team, where she can help special need families fight for access to the education they deserve.
Hanna Lim
Hanna was born and raised in NYC. She received her B.A. from New York University and her J.D. from Georgetown University. As a law student, she interned at Advocates for Children in New York and the Children’s Law Center in Washington D.C. Her primary role with these organizations was to advocate for families at IEP and 504 meetings, and to draft impartial hearing requests when necessary. Prior to joining the Law Firm of Michelle Siegel, she worked for the NYC Department of Education for over 4 years.
Brad Rosken
Brad Rosken has over two decades of litigation experience. In his capacity as an Impartial Hearing Officer, Brad ruled on over a thousand Due Process Complaints filed in New York City over the course of the last fifteen years. He has also argued and drafted briefs before the Appellate Divisions of New York State. He continues to be certified by New York State as an Impartial Hearing Officer regarding matters brought against school districts throughout New York State with the exception of Long Island and New York City where he now only represents families.
Prior to representing students with disabilities and injured plaintiffs he was an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County.
Brad received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and graduated from Touro Law Center. He is licensed to practice law in New York State and is admitted to practice in the Southern and Eastern District Courts of New York.
Deanne Shevock
Deanne has over 13 years of collective experience in Accounting, Human Resources and Administrative Support. She attended Saint Francis University and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Deanne began her career as a Secretary for a Municipality in Pennsylvania, eventually advancing as an Accounting and Human Resources professional in Maryland for several businesses in the private sector.
As an epileptic and personally experiencing educational obstacles as a child herself, Deanne is passionate about serving families and advocating for students with special needs.
Katie Sigety
Katie is passionate about helping families of students with disabilities navigate the New York City education system and secure the services their children need to succeed. During law school, Katie trained at Advocates for Children of New York, where she worked closely with families on both individual cases and large impact lawsuits. She supported parents in impartial hearings, prepared hearing requests and notices, and advocated at IEP meetings and school visits to help ensure students received appropriate services. She also contributed to class action cases focused on improving timely access to mandated special education services, including cases that addressed disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Katie’s commitment to education advocacy began before law school, when she co-founded Girlz by Design, a nonprofit that brings digital design workshops into Washington, D.C. public schools. There, she saw firsthand how underfunded schools and lack of accommodations limit opportunities for many students, sparking her dedication to fighting for educational equity. Katie earned her J.D. cum laude from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, where she served as an Articles Editor for the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal. She graduated magna cum laude from The George Washington University. She is awaiting admission to the New York Bar.
Zacmari Zamostina
Zacmarí received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Baja California State University in Mexico. After working in environmental and gender equality non-profit organizations, Zacmarí moved to New York. She is excited to be part of our team and follow up with her advocacy calling by helping special need students strive for their right to an appropriate education. As a native Spanish speaker, Zacmarí also aids our attorneys as a translator for our Hispanic clients.