Events
2025 Special Education Advocacy Summit
This two-and-a-half-day special education advocacy training program held at the St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, will begin with a reception on Wednesday evening, July 23, 2025, and conclude on Saturday afternoon, July 26, 2025. Hotel accommodations are downtown on San Antonio’s historic River Walk. The Special Education Advocacy Summit (SEAS) is sponsored by Connell Michael, LLP and Wrightslaw.
The program will include approximately 13 sessions on applicable laws, ethics, best practices in advocacy, case strategies and dispute resolution procedures, taught by national leaders in the field.
The purpose of the SEAS program is to provide training in special education advocacy for advocates, law students, new attorneys and attorneys who are new to special education law.
Proceeds from the summit will support the Center for Legal and Social Justice, which provides free legal services from attorneys and second- and third-year law students to income-qualified clients in San Antonio and South Texas. Students enjoy hands-on experience in all aspects of case handling under the direct supervision of a faculty member of St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Registration
Attendees will be selected via an application process. Applications will be reviewed on a bi-weekly rolling basis until the class is full. Early applications are recommended as the class size is limited.
Attorneys: $990 (CLE credit is anticipated)
Advocates, Educator/Advocates, non-attorneys and non-credit-seeking law students: $825
Two or more advocates or attorneys from the same organization/office will receive a 10% discount on each registration. The registration fee includes an opening reception, all lunches and scheduled breaks and over $250 of materials, including books and multimedia training from Wrightslaw, books by author Patricia L. Johnson Howey (M.Jur. ’24), as well as other valuable resources. In general, educational and training expenses are tax deductible. Check with your accountant about deductible educational expenses that may include books, continuing legal education fees and travel costs.
“I learned an incredible amount from this summit and have been able to help parents more effectively this year. I cannot speak highly enough of the experience. Thank you all for putting it on again to send out even more effective advocates for our kids.”
-Terri Fisk
President, Deaf Kids Can
The Florida Coalition for Spoken Language Options
Whatever your current level of IDEA subject-matter knowledge, SEAS will boost it. It’s an invaluable opportunity to immerse in deep study and engagement with renowned experts and thought leaders representing students with disabilities. I emphatically recommend SEAS for lawyers and non-lawyers alike, as a platform that will elevate your advocacy, and enable you to make wonderful connections within this community.
-Walt Kramarz
Kramarz Law, LLC
Schedule
Click here to download the full schedule.
Alumni Registration
Topics
The program will include sessions on applicable laws, ethics, best practices in advocacy, case strategies and dispute resolution procedures, taught by national leaders in the field.
Topics include:
- Understanding Key Special Education Laws
- Ethical Considerations in Special Education Advocacy
- Effective Collaboration Between Advocates and Attorneys
- Informed Decision-Making in Client and Case Selection
- An Overview of Section 504
- Maximizing School Testing Data
- Best Practices for IEP Meetings and Due Process
- Recent Legal Developments and Supreme Court Cases
- Addressing School Discipline and Behavioral Concerns
- Evidence Strategies
- Navigating State Complaints
- Dispute Resolution and Case Settlement Strategies
Hotel Information
La Mansión del Rio
112 College St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
A block of rooms is reserved for SEAS attendees at the Omni La Mansión del Rio. The hotel is located downtown on the historic River Walk, which is about 20 minutes from the conference site at the St. Mary’s University School of Law. The group rate (before taxes and fees) is $145 per night. The group room rate expires on June 20, 2025, so please book your stay before June 20 to receive the group room rate. Guests are able to use the hotel’s valet parking for $55 per night or park across the street at Houston Street Garage for $10 per day.
Scholarship Opportunities
Kayla Bower Scholarship Application (non-attorney advocates)
The Kayla Bower Scholarship is a scholarship for a lay advocate in the 2025 SEAS class who is not eligible for any outside funding to attend SEAS. Only lay individuals are considered for this Award. Attorneys are not eligible.
The committee will consider the following factors:
- Contributions to special education advocacy
- Financial need
- Representation of under-served children (military families, English language learners, foster children, court-involved youth, families in geographic areas with limited special education resources, and other at-need populations)
This award covers the registration fee. The award recipient is responsible for lodging, incidentals and all other costs.
The application for the award will not be considered unless accompanied by a completed SEAS application. To apply for the award, please complete the application below.
Cuddy Law Firm Law Student/New Attorney Tuition Waiver
The Cuddy Law Firm, P.L.L.C. is sponsoring a tuition waiver for a law student or newly admitted attorney to one member of this year’s SEAS class. In reviewing award applications, the committee will consider the applicant’s demonstrated enthusiasm for special education advocacy and desire to serve under-served populations. This award covers the registration fee. The award recipient is responsible for lodging, incidentals and all other costs.
The application for the award will not be considered unless accompanied by a completed SEAS application. To apply for the award, please complete the application below.
Special Education Advocacy M.Jur. Concentration
The St. Mary’s University School of Law offers a Master of Jurisprudence degree with a concentration in Special Education Advocacy.