Bio

Robin S. Ballard represents statewide private and public school districts in all facets of special education law, including evaluations, eligibility, program development and placement determinations, dispute resolution with parents, and disciplinary matters. She regularly attends Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and mediations conducted through the Department of Education and appears before the Office of Administrative Law for emergent and plenary hearings. In addition, Dr. Ballard often conducts in-service presentations on special education and 504 issues for teachers, special services personnel and service providers in various districts, including the preparation of legally compliant documents. She has also led trainings for employees of Boards of Education on effective strategies for dealing with difficult situations and effective communication with parents. Dr. Ballard’s education and experiences from while she was in her doctoral program are assets in meeting clients’ needs in the area of special education law. While in graduate school, she conducted therapy with individuals suffering from addictions, chronic mental illness, sexual abuse, learning disabilities, and other mental health diagnoses. Further, Dr. Ballard performed psychological and educational testing to identify aspects of individuals’ functioning and areas in which they were in need of therapeutic intervention. These experiences with counseling and testing individuals with psychiatric disabilities have given her insight into the difficulties experienced by the special education population, which is the focus of her work. In addition, Dr. Ballard is very familiar with mental health terminology and exhibits an extensive understanding of psychological and educational testing reports, as well as psychiatric evaluations. Her background has been particularly useful in preparations for hearings, particularly in developing direct and cross-examination of expert witnesses.