Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Storey.
Hi Matthew, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I became a special education attorney because of what my family went through.
I vividly remember my family’s frustration with my brother’s education. He is a year younger than me and diagnosed with cerebral palsy (“CP”), a group of neurological disorders that affect movement. CP, like many disabilities, is a broad spectrum. I recall my parents arguing with the school principal about my brother being placed in a room by himself with only a television. He must have been in the 2nd or 3rd grade, and apparently, this had been going on for over a month with no notification to my parents. The principal told my mom the school did not have the ability to support my brother, and the room with a television was all they could do. My parents, not knowing they may have had other options, moved my brother to a private school.
To be clear, this was illegal. There is a robust set of federal and state laws which require schools to provide an appropriate education to all children with disabilities. Unfortunately, all too often they are not followed. When my brother was placed in a room by himself, the school was clearly violating the law. What my parents may not have known at the time was they were not required to just accept whatever the school offered my brother or place him at their own expense in a private school. When a parent disagrees with the IEP or its implementation, they can file a complaint with the state department of education and have a judge determine whether or not the school is complying with the IDEA.
Our law firm practices solely in the field of special education and helps parents navigate a complex educational system to afford their children the best possible outcome.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the biggest obstacles I have had to address is something I have in common with many of my clients. I was diagnosed at a young age with both ADHD and dyslexia. While ADHD was a problem when I was younger, it has been a definite positive running my own law firm. You are constantly pulled in different directions, and there is not a lot of time to relax – something that goes well with ADHD. Dyslexia has been the tougher issue. A good deal of my job is reading and writing, so I have had to work hard to develop coping strategies to address the common issues of that disability. Fortunately, due to the field I work in, there is no shortage of help or advice, and at this point, its impact is minimal.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Law Office of Matthew H. Storey, APC.?
At our office, we practice exclusively in the field of special education and civil rights. Helping families navigate a complex educational system to get support for their children.
One of the areas I am most proud of and that sets us apart from other firms is our trial experience. We have experience at every level of litigation and are one of the handful of law firms in California to argue before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The biggest risk I have taken is opening my own law firm. Whether or not people will ultimately use your service is a question that cannot really be answered until you open. However, for me, the risk is well worth it. I practice in a field of law where you have a direct impact on people’s lives, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.calsped.com
- Instagram: @matthew_storey_apc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthewstoreyapc
