About Northstar Disability Advocacy & Navigation
We Built This Practice Because Families Deserve a Real Fight.
Northstar Disability Advocacy & Navigation was founded on a single conviction: that parents shouldn't have to navigate one of the most complex legal systems in education alone — and that when they do have help, it should be the kind that actually moves the needle.
Our story
Northstar Disability Advocacy & Navigation grew out of years of watching families arrive at IEP tables unprepared, outmatched, and unaware of the full scope of their rights. Districts have legal teams. They have years of experience managing these meetings. Most families have a printout from the internet and a lot of anxiety.
We started this practice to change that dynamic. Not by being combative for its own sake — but by being so thoroughly prepared, so fluent in the law, and so clear-eyed about strategy that districts know from the moment we walk in that the usual tactics won't work.
We take the cases that are hard. The ones where families have already been told no. The ones with complex diagnoses, residential placements, multi-year disputes, and districts that have dug in. Those are the cases we were built for.
Our philosophy
Preparation is advocacy.
We don't show up to IEP meetings to be present. We show up to change outcomes.
We don't file complaints to make noise. We file them because we've built a case that can win.
We don't take every case. We take the ones where we believe we can make a real difference — and we tell families honestly when we think a different path is better.
Special education advocacy is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It's about being the most prepared one. Every case we take gets a thorough review before we attend a single meeting. We study the records, understand the district's history, and build a strategy. That's what separates effective advocacy from well-intentioned presence.
Credentials & training
The preparation behind every case.
IDEA & Section 504 expertise
Deep working knowledge of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and state-specific special education regulations.
Due process experience
Extensive experience preparing and presenting due process cases, including evidence management, witness preparation, and hearing strategy.
Evaluation literacy
Trained to read and challenge psychoeducational, speech-language, occupational therapy, and other educational evaluations — and to identify when an independent evaluation is warranted.
Mediation & dispute resolution
Skilled in all formal resolution pathways: mediation, state complaints, facilitated IEPs, and OCR complaints — and in knowing which tool fits which situation.
Ongoing professional development
Active participation in national and state special education advocacy organizations, legal updates, and continuing education to stay current on evolving case law and policy.
What sets us apart
We do one thing: special education advocacy. Not general education consulting, not tutoring referrals. This is our entire focus.
Every case is reviewed in depth before we walk into any meeting. We don't wing it. We don't improvise. We build a strategy.
If we don't think we can help, we say so. If we think a different approach is better, we'll tell you. We'd rather lose a client than give false hope.
We're not looking for easy wins. We built this practice for the families who've been told no — and who need someone willing to push back.
Ready to talk about your child's case?
Start with a free consultation. We'll review your situation and give you an honest assessment of where things stand.