Marion M. Walsh

Marion M. Walsh, Esq., a partner with the firm and an experienced attorney, leads our growing and vibrant special education practice. Marion has worked in education law for almost 20 years and has been an advocate for children in many capacities. Few attorneys bring the depth and breadth of her experience to this practice.

As team leader, Marion ensures that each family and student receives individual attention and that the team develops a well-considered plan to help the child, teen or young adult receive an appropriate education. She ensures a customized approach as each case often requires a unique and evolving strategy.

“We never give up on finding the right placement for a student,” says Marion. ” We envision and implement a strategy that will put the child’s education back on track. “ Marion notes. As one example, for one client, who is now almost twenty and faced school phobia and severe bullying, the firm has obtained 840 hours of compensatory tutoring so the student can achieve a diploma.

Marion prioritizes a collaborative approach with school districts. Yet, if school districts do not compromise, she will work tenaciously through litigation to achieve the client’s aims– whether increased services in public school or tuition reimbursement for a needed private placement. She has enjoyed success in many impartial hearings, state review proceedings and federal appeals. To Marion, the law represents a tool for social justice and change and she prides herself on taking on difficult cases to protect vulnerable youth.

Ms. Walsh has worked to improve public school districts for all students and has volunteered in public service. She is a past president of the Hendrick Hudson Board of Education and served on the board as a trustee for nine years. Prior to joining Littman Krooks, Ms. Walsh worked as an attorney for a law firm concentrating in education law, where her practice focused on special education compliance and defense.

Marion also serves as an impartial hearing officer for children with disabilities and is certified by the New York State Education Department. She frequently presents on special education and general education law. She is certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid. She received the “Advocate of the Year” Award, from Westchester Jewish Community Services in June 2014.

Prior to practicing in education law, Marion worked in legal publishing. She has written books and advice for school administrators nationwide on all aspects of education law. She has also been a supervising editor for IEP Team Trainer, The Financial No Child Left Behind Compliance Insider and for The No Child Left Behind Compliance Insider. Marion has written three books: “What Do I Do When? The Answer Book on the No Child Left Behind Act,” “The Superintendent’s Guide to Special Education Policies and Procedures,” and “Student Discipline & School Safety: Administrator’s Guide to Best Practices, Policies & Procedures.”

Ms. Walsh worked in securities law immediately after graduating from law school. She worked on securities law compliance and litigation at an internationally recognized law firm.

She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was an Articles Editor for the Annual Survey of American Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Long Island University C.W. Post Campus. Marion is admitted to practice in New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is a co-chair of the Lower Hudson Special Education Task Force.