Law firm Steptoe & Johnson, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law join Doe v. State of Ohio case as co-counsel
December 16, 2013 / education
Disability Rights Ohio announces that law firm Steptoe & Johnson and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, both based in Washington, D.C., have joined its Doe v. State of Ohio lawsuit as co-counsel. Their addition will help Disability Rights Ohio bring this 20-year-old case to a successful resolution for Ohio students with disabilities.
Doe v. State of Ohio, filed in 1993, seeks to enforce state officials' obligations to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). The plaintiffs in the case allege that inequities in and underfunding of special education results in discrimination and denial of the appropriate education of Ohio students with disabilities.
“We are excited to have Steptoe and Bazelon onboard,” says Disability Rights Ohio Director of Advocacy Kerstin Sjoberg-Witt, who is also an attorney for the plaintiffs. “Their expertise in complex cases complements Disability Rights Ohio’s in-depth knowledge about the problems with funding for special education in Ohio.”
Steptoe & Johnson LLP is an international law firm widely recognized for vigorous advocacy in complex litigation and arbitration, successful representation of clients before governmental agencies, and creative and practical advice in guiding business transactions. The firm has more than 500 lawyers and other professionals in offices in Beijing, Brussels, Century City, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a national non-profit advocacy organization that promotes equal opportunities for individuals with psychiatric disabilities in all aspects of life, including employment, housing, education, health care, community living, voting, and family rights.
Disability Rights Ohio is the private, nonprofit organization designated under federal law as Ohio’s system to protect and advocate the rights of people with disabilities and as the Client Assistance Program under the Rehabilitation Act. The mission of Disability Rights Ohio is to advocate for the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities in Ohio.