Ilene Young Law Offices

Law Firm Overview

A practicing attorney since 1981, Ilene B. Young, Esquire, combines her courtroom experience in general civil and family law with her knowledge in legal matters concerning children, individuals, and families with special needs.  She has written and presented practice guides and seminars for fellow attorneys on representing parents in special education law, as well as the unique issues presented by individuals with special needs in domestic relations.  Her practice, Young Law Offices, is limited to the counsel and representation of individuals and families with special needs, and select private organizations serving the disabilities community.  We consider this community to be our community.

All members of our professional staff have a background in advocacy and training in the particular issues we face.  As a parent of a child with special needs, Ilene Young, principal attorney, recognizes that the times when a family member is seeking legal assistance may be filled with uncertainty.  The office is professionally staffed with these needs in mind, so that clients may feel comfortable speaking with any staff member.  Our current paralegal and advocate, Rita, has a deep background in both litigation support and professional parent advocacy.  Our part time adjunct advocate has been trained in the COPAA approved advocacy program. 

• In our education law practice, we have successfully represented parents in special education due process hearings and appeals for many years.  We believe in strength through knowledge, and hope to enable parents to navigate the special education systems, obtain the services to which the law entitles them, and achieve the peace of mind which comes from successful planning.  Please visit our website for links to reported decisions. 
• In family law, children and family members with special needs present unique issues in suport, custody, guardianship, estate planning, and divorce settlements.  Our office directly represents clients in these matters, and also consults with other domestic relations attorneys to assist them in properly presenting the issues of special needs individuals to the courts.
• In veterans disability claims denial appeals, Ilene is one of the few local members of the bar of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans' Affairs, and represents Pennsylvania veterans in this specialized court.  See our web site for further information about the appeals process.

Attorney Biography:  Ilene Young is a member and course planner with the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee, a professional member of the Pennsylvania Children's Behavioral Health Task Force, a member of the Civil Rights, Federal Practice, and Family Law Sections of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, a member of the Bucks County Bar Association, and of many special needs advocacy and support organizations including Aspen, Autism Society of America and TASH.  She is also a member of the Council of Parents Attorney's and Advocates, a national collegiate organization of parents' attorneys in special education dedicated to maintaining standards in the profession.  She has been an invited speaker throughout the country on legal topics.

Prior to establishing her present practice, Ilene was a founding partner of Petkov, Sninski and Cardonick.  She received her J.D. Degree with honors from Temple University School of Law in 1981, where she was the recipient of three bests, the Barrister's Award for Trial Advocacy, and the American Jurisprudence Award.  She is currently an elected member of the Bucks County Democratic Party Executive Committee. She had three sons.

Areas of Practice

• Education Law
• Special Needs Issues in Family Law
• Children and Youth Appellate
• Veterans' Disability Claims Appeals

Published Works

• Divorce and the Special Needs Child, PBI, Yellow Practice Guide for Attorneys, 2009
• The Legally Sufficient IEP, PBI Practice Guide for Attorneys, Exceptional Children Annual Publication, 2009
• Topics in Special Education Law: Medically Fragile Children, PBI - available in print or web document, Exception Children Annual Publication, 2008
• Bullying and Disabilities Harassment: Finding a Cause of Action, PBI Practice Guide for Attorneys, Exceptional Children Annual Publication, 2007
• Top Ten Ethical Issues in Special Education Practice, PBI - available as Web Document, Exceptional Children Annual Publication, 2005
• Discipline of Students with Special Needs, Lorman Publishing, 2005
• Special Education Law Practice, Louisiana State Bar Association, Disabilities Rights Committee, 2005

Classes and Seminars

• Special Education Issues in Domestic Relations Practice, National Conference COPAA, March 12, 2010 - March 14, 2010
• The Legally Sufficient IEP, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2009
• Special Needs and Divorce, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2009
• Special Needs Issues in Family Law, Bucks County Bar Association, 2008
• Medically Fragile Children: Legal Issues for Practitioners, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2008
• Bullying and Disabilities Harassment: Finding a Cause of Action, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2007
• Peer Reviewed Research and Educational Benefit Standard under IDEA: From the Parents' Bar, Lehigh University, June 8, 2009
• Top Ten Ethical Issues in Special Education Law, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2006
• School Violence, Zero Tolerance and Students with Disabilities, Lorman Publishing, 2005
• Introduction to Special Education Law, Disabilities Rights Section Louisiana Bar Association, 2004

Representative Cases

• In Re a Student in the Central Bucks School District, SEAP #1813- link available at www.ileneyoung.com (Pennsylvania Special Education Appeals Panel - 2008)
• In Re a Student in Council Rock School District, SEAP #1741 decision available @www.ileneyoung.com (Pennsylvania Special Education Appeals Panel 2006)
• In Re a Student in Minersville Area School District, SEAP#1742 decision available @www.ileneyoung.com (Pennsylvania Special Education Appeals Panel 2007)
• In the Interest of J. H, 1335 EDA 2006 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania 2007)
• In Re a Student in Pennsbury Area School District, # 9611/08-09 (Pennsylvania Office of Dispute Resolution Hearing 2009)

West Practice Categories

Education Law