Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP is proud to announce a collaboration with The Children’s Rights Clinic at Southwestern Law School (CRC) to provide legal representation to low-income children in the areas of school discipline, special education, and personal injury. Under the direction of PSBR attorney Robert Glassman, clients will be represented by the firm in the area of personal injury. Under the supervision of Professors Julie Waterstone and Jenny Rodriguez-Fee, Southwestern law students participating in the Children’s Rights Clinic will represent clients in the areas of special education and school discipline.
“Many times these kids and their families have nowhere to turn and don’t have the resources to hire a lawyer to help them in times of need,” said attorney Robert Glassman. “We are proud to take on the responsibility of helping them when no else will and are committed to ensuring that justice is served for them.”
The Student Advocacy Initiative will present law students with the opportunity to experience the intersectionality of law – torts and education law. For any CRC clients who may have a personal injury case, they may be referred to Robert Glassman. For any PSBR clients who may have a special education case, they may be referred to the CRC. Neither entity is obligated to take referred clients, but if the organization is unable to provide service, they agree to help that client find another organization that may be able to provide the needed legal assistance.
“We are excited to work with Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP to ensure that children with special needs are safe in school and getting the services and support needed to access their education,” said Dean Julie Waterstone, Director of the Children’s Rights Clinic. “In collaboration with Robert Glassman and his team, we are able to fight together to protect all children.”
The law students in CRC have the opportunity in a real-life context to hone their lawyering skills such as interviewing, negotiating, counseling, pre-trial litigation, litigation, and oral advocacy. In addition to their CRC experience, they may have the opportunity to observe depositions and trials of PSBR attorneys. PSBR attorneys will have the opportunity to attend IEP meetings, hearing, and mediations with the CRC students.
Robert Glassman is a trial attorney at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and a 2009 graduate of Southwestern Law School. In his final year of law school, Mr. Glassman participated in the Children’s Rights Clinic where he had the opportuninty to hone his trial advocacy skills while helping students with disabilities. As an attorney with the firm, Mr. Glassman has continued representing students with disabilities who have been injured at school.