The Steedman Law Group

The Steedman Law Group Empowering children, parents and adults with differing abilities and special needs

Many families face tremendous challenges navigating the complex laws and procedures governing educational rights for children and adults with special needs. The attorneys at The Steedman Law Group are dedicated to providing experienced, compassionate legal representation and advocacy to assist in securing equal access to appropriate educational services and supports for all differently-abled individuals. We serve individuals with a wide range of special needs, including:

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Developmental Delays and Disabilities
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Learning Disorders
Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Impairments
Intellectual/Cognitive Impairments
Social/Emotional Disabilities
Behavioral Challenges
Physical Disabilities (Orthopedic/ Visual/ Hearing)
Medical/Health Impairments
Traumatic Brain Injury
Executive Functioning and Processing Speed Disorders

We serve clients in all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City, and have provided advocacy and pro hac vice representation for individuals in numerous jurisdictions outside the state of Maryland, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Florida. All students have a right to an appropriate education, and every learner deserves an opportunity to achieve meaningful progress and success. At The Steedman Law Group, our mission is helping children and adults open doors to those opportunities.

11/26/2025

At the center of the case is a question with national impact: What happens to students with disabilities when the very offices that support them and protect their education rights are gone?

11/26/2025

Why is the IDEA important? For millions of parents, like Juliet Barraza, mother of Ben, it has been essential to a full life: "Without the IDEA, Ben's life and our life would have been dramatically different. IDEA was a light that shined on his educational needs and transformed his life and ours."

Learn more from the Center for American Progress on IDEA at 50 Week of Action at: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/idea-at-50-resources-to-support-students-with-disabilities-during-the-week-of-action/

11/21/2025

Tell the Senate to Protect Students with Disabilities. Pass the Senate Fiscal Year 2026 Education Funding Bill Which Supports All of IDEA and Prohibits Moving IDEA to HHS

10/31/2025


📢 Breaking News: Advocating 4 Kids Inc. Files Systemic Complaint Against Portsmouth Public Schools

Advocating 4 Kids Inc. has filed a systemic state complaint with the Virginia Department of Education, citing serious violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by PORTSMOUTH Public Schools.

These violations impact how the district identifies and serves students with disabilities, especially our most marginalized Black and neurodivergent learners.

If your child currently receives (or has been denied) special education services in Portsmouth and you’d like to be included in the complaint, please contact us at 📧 adv4kids@gmail.com

Together, we can hold systems accountable and demand the equity our children deserve. ✊🏾💛






11/14/2023

Proud to be part of this organization!

11/03/2023

Take action to end disability discrimination in health care! []

10/31/2023
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/09/26/major-flaws-identified-with-idea-complaint-system/30562/At The Steedman Law G...
10/12/2023

https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2023/09/26/major-flaws-identified-with-idea-complaint-system/30562/

At The Steedman Law Group, we're dedicated to empowering parents to advocate effectively for their children through the IEP process and in pursuing their due process rights. We're here to ensure that every child, regardless of ability, has access to a quality education.

One of the main tools IDEA offers families unsatisfied with special education services is the ability to file a complaint with their state, but new evidence suggests the process is riddled with problems.

04/20/2023

The Steedman Law Group celebrates the efforts of the special education advocacy community and the Maryland General Assembly in sponsoring and passing House Bill 1237. As of July 1, 2023, parents of students with disabilities may be entitled to reimbursement for the costs of expert witnesses, in addition to reimbursement of reasonable attorney fees, if they prevail in legal proceedings involving the special education needs of their children.

This law will help to address the inequitable impact of the 2006 decision in Arlington v. Murphy, when a majority in the Supreme Court interpreted the IDEA’s provisions for reimbursing parents’ reasonable attorney fees and related costs to exclude fees paid to experts who testify on the parents’ behalf. Now, parents in Maryland who find it necessary to challenge a school system’s decisions regarding the identification, evaluation, placement, and provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education to their children with special needs are a step closer to achieving the “level playing field” that Congress intended.

Analysis of HB1237:

Address

Bel Air Square, 260 Gateway Drive, Suite 11-12 B
Bel Air, MD
21014

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5:30am
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm

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(410) 645-0625

Website

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The Steedman Law Group

Our dedication to serving children who face extraordinary challenges spans many decades. Wayne’s early career began at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Hospital’s adolescent unit and The Forbush School; Cheryl’s at Catholic Charities’ Villa Maria Residential Treatment Center. Our respective backgrounds working directly with students who are impacted by learning, emotional, behavioral, and other special needs has guided our passion and perspective as we help families navigate the complexities of the IEP process and support their efforts to obtain equal access and appropriate services and education for their children.

We serve individuals with a wide range of special needs, including: Autism Spectrum Disorders Developmental Delays and Disabilities Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Learning Disorders Communication Disorders/Speech-Language Impairments Intellectual/Cognitive Impairments Social/Emotional Disabilities Behavioral Challenges Physical Disabilities (Orthopedic/ Visual/ Hearing) Medical/Health Impairments Traumatic Brain Injury Executive Functioning and Processing Speed Disorders We serve clients in all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City, and have provided advocacy and pro hac vice representation for individuals in numerous jurisdictions outside the state of Maryland, including Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Florida. All students have a right to an appropriate education, and every learner deserves an opportunity to achieve meaningful progress and success. At The Steedman Law Group, our mission is helping children and adults open doors to those opportunities.