[NFBNJ] Fwd: Important Update on Opinion 57: Non-Lawyer Advocates for Special Education, Plus an Open House & Stimulus Webinar!

Thu Apr 15 23:19:10 UTC 2021

From: Disability Rights New Jersey
Date: Thu, Apr 15, 2021 at 6:45 PM
Subject: Important Update on Opinion 57: Non-Lawyer Advocates for Special
Education, Plus an Open House & Stimulus Webinar!

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Opinion 57: Non-Lawyer Special Education Advocates and the Unauthorized
Practice of Law – Superseding Opinion 56
What You Need To Know
On April 9, 2021, the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Committee on the
Unauthorized Practice of Law (Committee) issued a new ethics opinion, known
as Opinion 57
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that addresses the issue of whether non-lawyer advocates can represent or
speak on behalf of special education students in IEP meetings and mediation
conferences. The Committee determined that non-lawyer advocates are
practicing law when they are advising, representing, or speaking on behalf
of students at IEP meetings and mediation conferences.

However, the Committee recognized that special education is complicated to
understand and that there is a lack of lawyers with special education
knowledge available to help parents who need them. It is for this primary
reason why the Committee determined non-lawyer advocates with special
knowledge or training of special education laws and procedures can
represent students in IEP meetings and mediation. The Committee made it
clear that non-lawyer advocates must have explicit permission from the
parent to appear at the IEP meeting without the parent. The explicit
permission requirement does not apply to court-appointed special advocate
(CASA) volunteers.

The Committee also made it clear that non-lawyer advocates must have the
parent accompany them during mediation. However, these advocates do not
require explicit permission from the parent to communicate with the school
district in less formal settings.

Read More About Special Education
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Special Education Virtual Open House: May 11
Do you have questions about IEP meetings, student evaluations, compensatory
education, transition services, and the dispute resolution process to your
child's special education needs?

Join the Special Education Team from Disability Rights New Jersey on Tuesday,
May 11 at 3pm for an hour-long virtual Open House to learn about special
education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two of Disability Rights NJ’s experienced special education experts will be
available to answer questions regarding various topics under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Register for Virtual Open House
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More Upcoming Events
New Webinar: How the Stimulus Payments Impact Benefits & Upcoming Deadlines
to Spend the Funds
Wednesday, May 5, 12pm to 1pm
Please join staff from Disability Rights New Jersey as we host a Lunch and
Learn webinar on How the Stimulus Payments Impact Benefits & Upcoming
Deadlines to Spend the Funds.

We will discuss issues for people with disabilities regarding
COVID stimulus payments from the federal government, including:

   - Who is entitled to receive stimulus payments
   - How stimulus payments impact Medicaid/SSI
   - Deadlines for spending the stimulus
   - What you can do if you have a Representative Payee and did not receive
   your stimulus payments

Register for Stimulus Webinar
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SSDI Overpayments: An Overview of What You Need
to Know to Tackle Overpayments
Thursday, April 22 at 2pm
Please join the Employment Team of Disability Rights New Jersey as they
host the second webinar of a two-part series intended to provide a basic
overview of SSDI overpayments, how to respond appropriately, and how to
prevent recoupment while appealing the issue.

A social security recipient can appeal overpayments and this webinar will
show you how. Each seminar is tailored to those who receive SSDI. The rules
differ regarding the appeal process of an overpayment and can be numerous
and complex. This is an important webinar not to miss.

What You Will Learn:

   - What is an overpayment?
   - What are the basics of challenging an overpayment based on your SSDI
   benefit?
   - What are the three ways to handle an overpayment situation
   (Reconsideration, Waiver and Negotiation)?
   - Time limitations that apply to challenging SSDI overpayments.
   - What are some strategies for dealing with one or all three ways to
   address your overpayment?
   - What forms should I file, when should I file them, and how should I
   use them?

Register for SSDI Webinar
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