EmpowerEd: Using Real Case Examples to Look Deeper into IEP Management

Jennifer Price is a special education attorney and principal attorney of the Law Office of Jennifer O. Price in the Pittsburgh metro area. As a former prosecutor, Attorney Price is an experienced trial lawyer who represents children with disabilities. Attorney Price's advocacy includes attending IEP meetings, disciplinary hearings, and vigorously defending clients in juvenile court. She also represents clients in civil rights matters, relating to violations of Title II of the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and constitutional violations. Attorney Price began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney for Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As a prosecutor, she was the sole trial counsel in both jury and bench trials. She prosecuted hundreds of cases, including major felonies, such as attempted homicides, robberies, drug and gun violations, and sexual abuse against children. Attorney Price is very familiar with the courts and believes in making sure every child has an opportunity to succeed both in school and in life. Her boutique law firm provides services protecting and defending against abuses of the criminal justice system, as well as the educational system. With 10 years of experience, Attorney Price's advocacy has resulted in successes, including getting criminal charges withdrawn, preventing children from getting expelled out of school and federal lawsuits or due process hearings, resulting in successful settlements. She is an award recipient of Who's Next: Law by The Incline and Fab 40 from the New Pittsburgh Courier. She is a frequent legal commentator on Rush to Judgment and NightTalk, produced by PCNC, a Pittsburgh NBC affiliate. She is also the author of "The Vicious Cycle Inside Allegheny County Juvenile Court for Black Girls and their Mothers. I Saw it Up Close," an in-depth reporting article of Attorney Price's experience as both a prosecutor and mother. She is an active member of her community, where she has served on the boards of Literacy Council and Pittsburgh Mercy Health. She has also been a hearing committee member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. She is a member of Mothers of Preschoolers (Murrysville chapter), American Association of University Women (Murrysville chapter) and board member of the Murrysville Community Library Foundation Board.

Lila has been an editor for more than 25 years, including as the managing editor of a journal, as a freelance editor, and as the owner of her own editorial services business. She has always been keenly aware of the varying and various needs of writers and projects. Lila has substantial experience working with both individual authors and publishers, having edited articles, books, and dissertations. Books that she has edited have been published by Chicago University Press, Cambridge University Press, Hart Publishing, Taylor & Francis Press, Paul H. Brookes Publishing, and others. Authors have also self-published via CreateSpace and Lulu Press. Lila has edited across all the social science disciplines (sociology, anthropology, policial science, history, etc.) as well as business history and even some economics. Clients have included experienced writers, new writers, and ESL writers. Creatively, Lila worked as a script reader for three Tony-award winning theaters (submitting reports on strengths and weaknesses of scripts) and as literary manager at a regional theater. She has also worked one-on-one with playwrights on dialogue, continuity, character development, and more. Lila holds a BA in English, with a Minor in Theater. She also holds a certificate of graduation from the New York Institute of Photography. One of her photos was published in American Theater magazine. Before moving to New York City, Lila was the company photographer for ShawChicago.

Laura has over ten years of industry experience as an in-house designer at a major Canadian book publisher. She knows the tips of the trade like the back of her hand, but she also has a great respect for every author that is undertaking the self-publishing journey. As an art director and a seasoned book designer, Laura has more than 400 books under her belt. She has worked on a wide range of projects, from complex textbooks to well-crafted novels. She is a typography enthusiast, and keeps an eye on current design and market trends. Laura knows how to design a book that targets the right audience, stands out on the shelf, and speaks to the quality and attention to detail that has been invested into your project.