2026 Special Education Advocacy Summit (SEAS)
This two-and-a-half-day special education advocacy training program held at the St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, will begin with a reception on Wednesday evening, July 22, 2026, and conclude on Saturday afternoon, July 25, 2026. Hotel accommodations are downtown on San Antonio’s historic River Walk. The Special Education Advocacy Summit (SEAS) is sponsored by Connell Michael, LLP and Wrightslaw.
The program will include approximately 13 sessions on applicable laws, ethics, best practices in advocacy, case strategies and dispute resolution procedures, taught by national leaders in the field.
The purpose of the SEAS program is to provide training in special education advocacy for advocates, law students, new attorneys and attorneys who are new to special education law.
Proceeds from the summit will support the Center for Legal and Social Justice, which provides free legal services from attorneys and second- and third-year law students to income-qualified clients in San Antonio and South Texas. Students enjoy hands-on experience in all aspects of case handling under the direct supervision of a faculty member of St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Attendees will be selected via an application process. Applications will be reviewed on a bi-weekly rolling basis until the class is full. Early applications are recommended as the class size is limited.
Attorneys: $990 (CLE credit is offered)
Advocates, Educator/Advocates, non-attorneys and non-credit-seeking law students: $825
Note: Two or more advocates or attorneys from the same organization/office will receive a 10% discount on each registration.
Registration fee includes: The opening reception, all lunches and scheduled breaks and over $250 of materials, including books and multimedia training from Wrightslaw, books by author Patricia L. Johnson Howey (M.Jur. ’24), as well as other valuable resources. In general, educational and training expenses are tax deductible. Check with your accountant about deductible educational expenses that may include books, continuing legal education fees and travel costs.
The program will include sessions on applicable laws, ethics, best practices in advocacy, case strategies and dispute resolution procedures, taught by national leaders in the field.
Topics include:
- Understanding Key Special Education Laws
- Ethical Considerations in Special Education Advocacy
- Effective Collaboration Between Advocates and Attorneys
- Informed Decision-Making in Client and Case Selection
- An Overview of Section 504
- Maximizing School Testing Data
- Best Practices for IEP Meetings and Due Process
- Recent Legal Developments and Supreme Court Cases
- Addressing School Discipline and Behavioral Concerns
- Evidence Strategies
- Navigating State Complaints
- Dispute Resolution and Case Settlement Strategies
For ALL SEAS details, to include registration, schedule, alumni track, hotel, and scholarship opportunities, please click here.
See you in San Antonio!
