Michelle Kotler, M.Ed., Attorney at Law, began her career as a special education teacher in 1995 but quickly saw the need for advocacy for her students.  Since 2001, she has championed the rights of children with special needs as a disability and special education lawyer.  Ms. Kotler earned her B.S. and M.Ed., both in Special Education, from the University of Maryland.  

Her Juris Doctor from the same University includes a Certificate in Health Care Law, where she was invited to represent the law school at a national moot court competition, was an intern for the Maryland Disability Law Center and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, and she won the James E. Rosner Award for Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities from the Baltimore ARC.  Ms. Kotler also researched and co-authored, “Understanding the Overrepresentation of Youths with Disabilities in Juvenile Detention” published in the D.C. Law Review.

Having served for almost 30 years as a certified special education teacher, school administrator, department chair, program developer, evaluator and educational diagnostician, compensatory education service provider, advocate, and attorney, Ms. Kotler has a unique perspective that few others can match.

Best known for her groundbreaking work at the federal level that opened the door to special education for children with visual impairments, Ms. Kotler provides remote advocacy and legal services for struggling students nationwide.

Presently, Ms. Kotler is developing an online course for parents who want to learn about their child’s needs, special education law, and advocacy.  Ms. Kotler remains an ardent supporter of individuals with disabilities.  She has served as a Board member and Co-Chair of the Public Policy Committee of the Arc of Montgomery County, Maryland serving individuals with developmental delays.  Currently, she is a proud Board Member of Bright Minds Processing, a nonprofit based in West Palm Beach, Florida, devoted to children with visual and auditory processing disorders.

On a personal note, Ms. Kotler is the proud mother of two young adults who are finding their own unique paths in this world.  She enjoys gardening, writing, ballroom dancing, and travelling internationally, having solo travelled to 18 countries and counting.