SPEAKER BIOS:
Michael Connolly
Mr. Connolly is a shareholder at McAndrews Law Offices and the Supervising Partner of Special Education since 2018. With twenty years of experience, he represents parents of children with special needs in a variety of education matters at administrative hearings and state and federal court. He has assisted parents in disputes involving their public school related to issues such as eligibility and identification, programming and placement, tuition reimbursement, discipline, bullying, and discrimination.
Throughout his legal career, Mr. Connolly has been an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee, where he served as Vice Chair from 2002 through 2003 and as Chair from 2003 through 2006. In his roles as Vice Chair and Chair, he played an active part in helping to shape the Bar Association’s position on legal issues impacting students with disabilities.
Mr. Connolly began his career in education law upon graduation from law school as an associate with a District of Columbia law firm representing parents in special education matters. He later became a partner in a law firm located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he spent nearly a decade representing school districts throughout state. Most recently, prior to joining McAndrews Law Offices, Mr. Connolly was a founding partner at another education law firm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where he spent seven year representing parents and students in educational matters.
Maria Vetter
Maria Vetter has dedicated her career to children and their educational needs. She possesses a wealth of experience working with children who are challenged by special needs, with a primary focus on children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and language-based learning differences. Maria also has considerable expertise in addressing a wide range of other needs and disabilities, including gifted support, traumatic brain injury, Fragile X Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Down Syndrome, Seizure Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Physical Disabilities and various behavioral issues.
She is accomplished in developing programs to accommodate the needs of children in private, public and parochial schools, camps, colleges and home settings, including training staff and family members. Maria has developed countless IEP and ESY programs and created innovative social outlets for children with special needs. As a provider of autistic support services for Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania, she helped design and implement the first full Asperger’s classroom program for the district’s elementary schools.
As an advocate, Maria works with families of students with special needs, from diagnosis and early intervention, to school age and transitioning out of school into independent living. She helps families understand the educational process and aids them in securing the specialized services their children require. She also supports parents and students by attending IEP meetings, conferences, mediations and team meetings to advocate for the students’ rights.
Mr. Connolly is a shareholder at McAndrews Law Offices and the Supervising Partner of Special Education since 2018. With twenty years of experience, he represents parents of children with special needs in a variety of education matters at administrative hearings and state and federal court. He has assisted parents in disputes involving their public school related to issues such as eligibility and identification, programming and placement, tuition reimbursement, discipline, bullying, and discrimination.
Throughout his legal career, Mr. Connolly has been an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee, where he served as Vice Chair from 2002 through 2003 and as Chair from 2003 through 2006. In his roles as Vice Chair and Chair, he played an active part in helping to shape the Bar Association’s position on legal issues impacting students with disabilities.
Mr. Connolly began his career in education law upon graduation from law school as an associate with a District of Columbia law firm representing parents in special education matters. He later became a partner in a law firm located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he spent nearly a decade representing school districts throughout state. Most recently, prior to joining McAndrews Law Offices, Mr. Connolly was a founding partner at another education law firm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where he spent seven year representing parents and students in educational matters.
Maria Vetter
Maria Vetter has dedicated her career to children and their educational needs. She possesses a wealth of experience working with children who are challenged by special needs, with a primary focus on children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome and language-based learning differences. Maria also has considerable expertise in addressing a wide range of other needs and disabilities, including gifted support, traumatic brain injury, Fragile X Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Down Syndrome, Seizure Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Physical Disabilities and various behavioral issues.
She is accomplished in developing programs to accommodate the needs of children in private, public and parochial schools, camps, colleges and home settings, including training staff and family members. Maria has developed countless IEP and ESY programs and created innovative social outlets for children with special needs. As a provider of autistic support services for Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania, she helped design and implement the first full Asperger’s classroom program for the district’s elementary schools.
As an advocate, Maria works with families of students with special needs, from diagnosis and early intervention, to school age and transitioning out of school into independent living. She helps families understand the educational process and aids them in securing the specialized services their children require. She also supports parents and students by attending IEP meetings, conferences, mediations and team meetings to advocate for the students’ rights.