AW Law - Pennsylvania

Another win against MSU by Liz and Megan!

“The message to MSU from (the judge’s decision) is, ‘follow the freaking law,’” said Elizabeth Abdnour, a Title IX attorney who is representing The State News in the lawsuit. “Transparency is going to happen, whether you like it or not.”

The State News wins FOIA lawsuit against MSU - The State News Michigan State University’s student-led newspaper has won its lawsuit against MSU, which argued the university had unfairly redacted the names of individuals mentioned in public records. 

Meet Gavin, one of AW’s summer interns & a member of Louisiana State University’s 2024 graduating class with a major in Political Science and a Minor in Spanish. Originally from Dublin, OH, Gavin's interest in the legal field was sparked during his high school AP Government class, where he studied Supreme Court cases. He has since gained valuable experience as a Legislative Intern for the Ohio House of Representatives and currently works for Gahanna Parks and Recreation. Gavin's proudest achievement is completing his bachelor's degree in just three years! Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, he enjoys playing hockey, golf, and traveling with his family.

Meet McKayla, a University of Akron alum and a current candidate for her Master's in Educational Leadership with a focus on Special Education Administration at the University of Cincinnati, where she will graduate this fall. Originally from Cleveland, OH, McKayla has dedicated the past five years to her role as a special education teacher, where she passionately advocates for equitable and inclusive education for her students. Her responsibilities include ensuring compliance with laws and policies, and she is eager to transition into a role that allows her to assist students and their families with legal issues in the special education system. McKayla aspires to work on a state level to further support and advocate for students with special needs and aims to earn her PhD. Outside of her professional life, she is an avid Disney fan (she’s been there over 50 times!), enjoys spin classes and hot yoga, and adopted a beagle named Sunny during the pandemic. On weekends, you might find them relaxing on a coffee shop patio, where Sunny enjoys his pup cups. Her proudest achievement has been making a meaningful impact on her community, her students, and their families, supported by a fantastic staff that has helped bring her ideas to fruition.

Wrapping up a successful Student Rights Conference today! 🌟 Thank you to everyone who attended and especially to our speakers and planning committee from and MiPAAC/Autism Alliance of Michigan. So many valuable conversations and takeaways to reflect on — looking forward to putting ideas into action. See you next year!

Meet Ashley, a Social Relations + Policy major/Business minor at Michigan State University and another of AW’s summer interns! Originally from Troy, MI, Ashley became interested in the legal field when she began to understand the real-life implications that policy decisions have on our day-to-day lives. Her proudest achievement is tackling the LSAT, and she hopes to attend law school when she completes her undergraduate education. Outside of the AW office, Ashley serves as an AmeriCorps member and enjoys time outdoors running with her husky, Maverick, or inside having movie nights with her roommates. Welcome, Ashley!

Mrs. Ruth doing her thing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shoutout to AW Law, who turns 10 years old today. We can't believe how big she's gotten! 🎂🥂🎊

Meet Katie, a Pataskala, OH native & another intern joining AW for the summer! Katie attends The Ohio State University, where she is a neuroscience major and a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. Katie felt drawn to learn more about the political/legal field after Roe v. Wade was overturned during her senior year of high school and she intends to become a voice for anyone who has been silenced or who is too afraid to speak up for themselves. When she has some down time, Katie is usually playing video games with her friends, cuddling with her dog, or enjoying classical music (she plays multiple types of clarinets!).

AW welcomes Jacquelyn Kmetz, a dedicated & experienced attorney with a passion for children’s education rights. A Central Michigan University graduate with a BS in Child Development and Psychology, Jacquelyn worked as a juvenile probation officer for Montcalm County before attending law school and eventually working with partner Liz Abdnour.

These roles and Jacquelyn’s subsequent experiences in education law, criminal law, and family law informed her commitment to defending students’ rights; Jacquelyn has represented students in child abuse/neglect matters, those attending Flint Community Schools who have been affected by the Flint Water Crisis, students with disabilities across 4 states, and more.

Outside of legal matters, Jacquelyn co-founded MI AECRES, a nonprofit dedicated to providing education advocacy and representation to low-income families primarily in west Michigan, and she continues to serve as its Executive Director.

Meet Kiley, a rising senior at Michigan State University & another of AW’s summer interns ⚖️ Kiley is a Social Relations/Policy major and Business/Philosophy of Law minor in MSU’s James Madison College. She plans to take the LSAT this fall and hopes to go to law school, where she would love to work in education law, specifically special education. Growing up in Okemos, MI, she knows the East Lansing area well and you may find her studying or hanging out with friends and family when she’s not in the office. Welcome to the team, Kiley!

Meet Lorraine, another intern joining AW for the summer ⛱️ Lorraine attends Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, VA. Originally from Pennsylvania, she credits her experiences as a parent of five children (including 2 sets of twins!) with exceptionalities and as a public school teacher with sparking her interest in pursuing a law degree. After law school, Lorraine envisions herself teaching and working as an advocate for others, particularly those with disabilities or facing discrimination. She is especially passionate about education, employment, labor law, and juvenile justice/diversionary programs. Outside of work, you may find Lorraine camping, hiking, or bike riding. On the trails or at work, Lorraine’s proudest achievement is getting up when life knocks her down. Her advice to you? There’s no such thing as “too late” or “too old” – there’s always time to pursue your dreams!

Danielle and Renee shared their presentation, “From Classroom to Campus: A Roadmap to Successful Postsecondary Transition,” at yesterday’s 2024 Milestones National Autism Conference — their participants (who ranged from high school students with autism and parents of graduated college students to employees of statewide disability advocacy organizations and college disability support services departments) learned to:

1. identify + articulate key differences in legal frameworks and support systems between K-12 and postsecondary settings for students with autism

2. develop practical strategies for guiding students with autism through the transition from high school to postsecondary education or training

3. evaluate potential obstacles and advantages in the postsecondary landscape for students with autism

4. acquire tools and resources to empower students with autism in developing effective self-advocacy skills

Well done, Danielle and Renee!

We’re excited to share that AW Law was selected for Michigan Lawyers Weekly’s second annual “Empowering Women” program! We are one of 17 law firms & legal departments recognized this year for hiring and promoting women, providing mentoring and opportunities for professional advancement to women attorneys, and establishing programs and policies to help women attorneys thrive professionally.

Meet Maya, one of the 10 interns joining us for the summer ☀️ Maya grew up in Bexley, Ohio & recently graduated from Simmons University in Boston with a degree in social work. She’s also pursuing a Master’s degree in her field from Boston University, but hopes to explore other avenues to student advocacy through her internship at AW. Maya’s passion for student rights began with her own experiences growing up with learning differences, and this summer she plans to gain legal perspectives that will enhance her toolkit as a future licensed clinical social worker. Outside of school, Maya enjoys time with family, traveling, watching documentaries, and listening to music/podcasts. Welcome, Maya!

The AW Michigan team welcomes Kathryn Chirdon, our new law clerk & current JD candidate at Wayne State University. A former special education teacher, Kathryn's experience shaped her passion for & perspective on student rights and the legal field at large. Before law school, she played Division 1 collegiate tennis and earned a degree in English Literature with certifications in Secondary and Special Education. Her unique perspective and diverse set of skills are an asset to the team. Welcome, Kathryn!

We're excited to welcome our 10 summer interns to the AW team; today is the first day of their 12-week program with us & we can't wait to see what we can all accomplish together! Stay tuned to see their adventures!

Liz recently joined the board of the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition, a non-profit dedicated to amplifying the voices of individuals with disabilities—both apparent and non-apparent—to ensure that everyone in our communities is represented and considered. Many barriers exist that do not address (or worsen) the oppression of individuals with disabilities; MDRC works to foster true inclusion by addressing outdated systems of racism, classism, sexism, and more. With a majority of its staff identifying as individuals with disabilities, MDRC promotes lasting and meaningful change from advocacy to education to support services. Congratulations, Liz!

To follow along with their work, visit Michigan Disability Rights Coalition or mymdrc.org

What better way to wrap up the month than by spotlighting our partner Jessica Moore?! Jessica has worked with the firm since 2017 and has been an asset to the team ever since (from her internship to her clerkship to her appointment as an attorney & now a partner!). Jessica attended The Ohio State University & Capital University Law School before becoming an education attorney, where she now specializes in college code of conduct & academic misconduct, k12 suspension/expulsion, and a variety of other k12 matters.

When she’s not advocating for our clients, you can find Jessica hanging out with her dog, Kaya, or rooting for the Buckeyes (or both!).

Renee Stromski doing what she does ✨

Registration for the 2024 Student Rights Conference is now open! Visit lawyers4students.com/src to sign up or for more information. See you July 18th & 19th!