Lawyer Overview

Attorney Girard is a skilled and knowledgeable professional in the areas of divorce and family law and special education law. She brings to her clients empathy, understanding and compassion through first-hand professional expertise and personal experiences. Attorney Girard realizes the stress, frustration and complexities of divorce along with the affects it has on her clients and families as a whole and supportively guides her clients though this painful process.

A lifelong resident of western Massachusetts, Attorney Girard resides in Monson, Massachusetts with her husband and their "blended" family of six children. One of their twin boys, Benjamin, was born severely disabled. Through this life-altering experience, Attorney Girard has navigated the system from the ground-up.

Like many of her clients, Attorney Girard initially did not know where to turn and was forced to fight to enforce her son's rights and to obtain the services he deserved and needed. Attorney Girard has made it her mission to provide that same level of dedication and much-needed assistance, care and advocacy for all her clients including those with special needs.

Attorney Girard recognizes and understands that each and every child is an individual, not a statistic, and should never be categorized on the basis of disability diagnosis alone. Attorney Girard shares with her clients a sincere human element and comprehension of the stress and frustration families and parents go through when dealing with the imperfections of the system.

Attorney Girard graduated magna cum laude from Elms College in Chicopee Massachusetts with a degree in Psychology and graduated in the top third of her graduating class from Western New England School of Law and is an active member of; Massachusetts Bar Association (Family Law Section), Hampden County Bar Association, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocated (COPAA), Education-A-Must, Special Needs Advocacy Network, Autism Speaks and is a trained advocate through the Federation for Children with special needs.

Areas of Practice

• Family and Education Law
• Special Education Advocacy and Legal Representation
• Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
• Individualized Education Plan (IEPs) and 504 Plans
• Divorce
• Marital Property Division and Alimony
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Child Support
• Resolution of Unpaid Child Support
• Contempt of Court for Denied Visitation
• Modification of Custody, Visitation and Support Orders
• Paternity Actions
• Guardianships
• Intra-Family and Step-Parent Adoption

West Practice Categories

Administrative Law, Administrative Hearings & Adjudication, Civil Rights, Class Actions -- Plaintiff, Constitutional Law, Education Law, Private Schools, Public Schools, Special Education, Student Rights, Family Law, Adoption, Alimony & Spousal Support, Child Support, Childrens' Rights, Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Juvenile Law, Paternity, Government Agencies & Programs, Health & Health Care Law, Disability, Mental Health, Litigation & Appeals, State Appellate Practice, State Trial Practice, State, Local & Municipal Law, Municipal Liability, State Government

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Massachusetts Bar Association (Family Law Section)
• Hampden County Bar Association
• Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
• Education-A-Must
• Special Needs Advocacy Network
• Autism Speaks

Classes and Seminars

• Hampden County Bar Association Children's Law Project Training
• Speech & Language Developmental Center
• Palmer Parent Advisory Council
• Elms College Homecoming Weekend 2008

Education

• Western New England College School of Law, Springfield, Massachusetts
  J.D.
• Federation for Children with Special Needs
  Advocate/Parent Consultant Certificate
• Elms College, Chicopee, Massachusetts
  B.A.
  Honors: magna cum laude
  Major: Psychology

Offers Free Initial Consultation

Address

55 State Street
Suite 204
Springfield, MA 01103

Office Hours

Evening and Weekend Appointments Available

Phones

(413) 315-5518
(877) 622-6089

Faxes

(413) 733-2210

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.familyneedslaw.com