The year 2008 celebrated a decade of Melanie Segal’s dedication to Special Needs advocacy.  It all started in 1998, wherein she received the American Jurisprudence award for authoring “Bright IDEA’s” at the University of Denver, College of Law. Follow this link to see what inspired her to become an attorney.

“Bright IDEAs” is a two-year directed research project examining the origin, efficacy and implementation of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and offering a comprehensive plan for the development of a foundation combining education, research, appropriate intervention services, clinical care, residential support, advocacy, and legal aid to families of children with developmental disabilities.

Upon graduating from Law School¹ and while studying for the Colorado Bar and waiting for admittance, Ms. Segal was an intern at the Legal Aid Society of Denver. During her tenure at Legal Aide, she represented indigent clients in both termination and reinstatement hearings in matters of Social Security, Medicare and Disability benefits.

Upon Ms. Segal’s admission to the Colorado bar in October of 1998, The Law Office of Melanie Segal, a practice dedicated to the representation of children with special needs, first opened its doors in downtown Denver, Colorado.

Concurrently, Melanie sat as a chairperson of the Colorado Bar Association Disability Law Forum Committee until the new millennium. As a chairperson, she generated new membership, tracked disability related legislation, acted as a legal resource for persons with disabilities and organized monthly State Bar approved Continuing Legal Education(CLE) presentations a propos disabilities and the law.

After 5 years of practice in Colorado, Melanie Segal relocated (back home) to Southern California and was admitted to the California bar in May 2004.

From 2004 until September 2007, Melanie practiced at a firm representing children in obtaining appropriate education services from school districts and appropriate intervention services from California’s Regional Centers.

In 2005, Ms. Segal co-counseled a California Court of Appeals case establishing precedent for a family’s right to have an expert observe a proposed educational placement prior to having to decide the appropriateness of same.²

In 2006, Ms. Segal co-counseled a Regional Center eligibility hearing wherein the consumer was granted eligibility and the family was granted reimbursement for a privately funded ABA program.³

In September 2007, Ms. Segal opened her doors as a sole-practitioner devoted to the representation of children with special needs and their families.

She is also involved in advocacy for autism insurance reform and spending. Ms. Segal is a District Captain(a leader in a senate and/or assembly District) to help get Autism insurance reform passed in California.

The Law Office of Melanie Segal is located in Los Angeles, California and its client base spans across the state and when need be, throughout the nation.

Due to the high incidence of autism in California and the high cost of effective intervention, our current case load consists of predominantly autism cases filed against school districts and Regional Centers.

Moreover, we offer legal expertise in the area of a multitude of disabilities as well as in special needs trusts.

1.Undergraduate: University of Colorado, Boulder, Psychology (1994); Law: University of Denver, College of Law (1998).
2. http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/oah/DDS_Decisions/2005060533.084.pdf
3. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data2/californiastatecases/B179322.PDF