Ingerman Smith, L.L.P. is one of the leading firms in the State of New York in representation of school districts in all areas of education law including special education hearings and appeals.  We have litigated these matters since the initial passage of the IDEA in the 1970's.  Many of our attorneys, including Christopher Venator, Neil Block, Susan Gibson, Emily Lucas, Joseph Madsen and Thomas Scapoli, routinely litigate impartial hearings when parents disagree with the recommendations of committees on special education and the subsequent lawsuits in federal court.  It is estimated that on average we handle over twenty impartial hearings per year. In many cases, Special Education policies and protections regarding students with learning disabilities develop in response to lawsuits.