Throughout SLC`s history, we have sought precedent-based opinions in various areas of law, including constitutional law, workplace discrimination, special education, homeless rights, and sun laws. SLC influenced the evolution of the law and paved the way for future civil rights plaintiffs. Ms. Siegel was an Associate Professor at the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University and taught a Master of Laws program in Special Education from 2006 to 2018. She has been the director of SLC`s Education Advocacy Project since 1999, which is funded by the Florida Bar Foundation to provide state support and education, support, mentorship, and legal advice/help attorneys and attorneys increase and improve special education advocacy. She was Chair of the Board of Directors and former Treasurer of the national organization The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), whose mission is to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities. She coordinated the national conferences for COPAA in 2003 and 2004 and has been active in the conference design team ever since. She served as Chair of the Public Interest Law Section of the Florida Bar. Prior to joining Maguire Cardona, Dean was a partner at another respected Albany law firm in the litigation department. Previously, she served as Assistant Attorney to the Majority Attorney for the New York Senate and as a member of the Legislative Assembly. Ms. Dunn is a member of the Florida Bar and a member of the Massachusetts and Virginia bars.
She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of Law in 2009, where she received her magna laude degree and received the Nina R. Kestin Service Award for her contributions to school, community and advocacy. She was editor-in-chief of the Richmond Journal of Law and the Public Interest, in which she published two commentaries. After graduating from law school, she worked for two years for Senior Justice Harry L. Carrico on the Virginia Supreme Court. Chelsea earned a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Sociology from the College of Charleston in South Carolina.
One of the hallmarks of SLC has always been our independence; We don`t receive state funding, so we can work to improve local, state, and federal systems without fear of repercussions. While we have developed areas of expertise, SLC`s unique mission is to fill gaps in unmet legal needs and promote the general public interest. We use the power of the law to achieve positive social change, reform systems and institutions, crush unjust laws and policies, and hold government accountable to the people. Our mission is to represent individuals with the aim of solving the underlying problem not only for our clients, but also for all others who have experienced similar injustices. In the pursuit of justice, SLC has developed innovative legal strategies that have had a profound impact on the population of this state. Prior to joining Maguire Cardona, Abigail was a partner at another respected Albany law firm in the litigation department. She has extensive experience in all phases of complex litigation, including drafting pleadings, participating in testimony and preparing for trial. Prior to becoming a litigation partner, Abigail also served as Assistant Counsel to the Majority Counsel for the New York State Senate and as a member of the Legislative Assembly. “His legal expertise will be of great benefit to our clients,” added Maguire. Chelsea Dunn joined Southern Legal Counsel in July 2018 as a staff lawyer. She is the director of the Healthy Kids Medical-Legal Partnership, which seeks to address the harmful legal needs of some of Florida`s underserved children. It also contributes to SLC`s efforts to prevent discrimination against vulnerable populations.
In 1996, when Congress passed restrictions on Legal Services Corporation (LSC) programs, the Florida Bar Foundation was a national pioneer in developing a “companion system” and funded programs like SLC to track the type of work that LSC programs could no longer do, such as: Class actions and claims for attorneys` fees. As Head of State for Special Education, SLC received a scholarship from the foundation`s new Children`s Legal Services Program in 1999. The aim was to provide assistance to legal aid lawyers in order to increase the number of lawyers and improve the representation of low-income children with special educational needs. SLC was created to fulfill a special role. While some low-income people have access to legal aid or free or pro bono lawyers, many do not. And many people face the same barriers they can`t solve, so resolution requires a systemic approach to ending illegal or discriminatory practices. SLC focused on the people and issues most in need of civilian support. University of Florida Levin College of Law, Gainesville Tiffani G.
Lee Hon. K.H. “Buddy” MacKay D. Ross McCloy, Jr. Michael P. McMahon John H. (Jack) Hickey Dr. Vivian Hobbs Marilyn Holifield John D.
Jopling 1977 Founding President Joseph R. Julin (d.) Michael McIntosh (d.) Jon L. Mills Joseph Onek Chesterfield Smith, Sr. (d.) Elizabeth L. Bevington Alan Bookman (d.) Howard C. Coker Hon. LeRoy Collins (d.) Benjamin L. Crump Hon. Raul Cuervo F. Malcolm Cunningham Talbot “Sandy” D`Alemberte (d.) Jesse Diner Former Board Members Jacqueline Allee Francisco R. Angones.
Abigail is originally from Norwich, New York and now lives in Troy, New York. Ms. Siegel has been a lawyer with Southern Legal Counsel since 1985 and became its Executive Director in July 2004. The majority of Ms. Siegel`s responsibilities at SLC are to represent people with disabilities in various forums. She has led class and individual actions related to constitutional and statutory federal lawsuits under the Federal Civil Rights Act, the Federal Rehabilitation Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. She has also lectured extensively on special education and other topics to various groups. Simone Chriss – Personal Counsel Pronouns: She, her, her Abigail was inducted into the New York State Bar in 2017 and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District in 2017.