Michele Kule-Korgood, Esq.
Michele Kule-Korgood has devoted more than twenty-three years in private practice to representing parents of children with disabilities in order to secure an effective education for their children. While studying psychology as an undergraduate, Michele became a personal care assistant for a classmate with cerebral palsy. Her classmate’s refusal to be defined by his disability inspired Michele to pursue a career in teaching special education. Years later, as a special education teacher, Michele’s efforts to help a student obtain assistive technology, so he could have a voice in the world, again changed the course of her life. In order to effect change for a greater number of people, she decided to attend law school and become a legal advocate on behalf of people with disabilities. Today, Michele is one of the most well-known, respected attorneys in the field and has successfully handled thousands of matters in special education, ensuring that every child receives equal access to the high quality education to which he or she is entitled.
Her experience working closely with other professionals in the field, as well as her extensive knowledge of educational programs, allow Michele to assist parents in finding and accessing appropriate placements and services. As a former special educator, Michele brings unique insight into the complex issues related to obtaining effective opportunities for children.
Nationally, Michele is highly sought after as a speaker on special education law and policy. She has chaired many conferences, and presented on various topics in special education law at numerous conferences, including those held by the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), the New York State Bar Association, the Practising Law Institute, and Lehigh University, and at various agencies which provide education and advocacy services. Michele has argued and presented cases involving novel issues in the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Eastern and Southern District Courts, the Appellate Division and state Supreme Court (including as lead counsel, along with Greenberg, Traurig, in the landmark decision of Mr. and Mrs. A v. N.Y. City Dep’t of Educ. (S.D.N.Y. 2011), holding that the exercise of rights under IDEA cannot be made to depend on the financial means of a disabled child’s parents, and extending the right for direct tuition payment to schools for parents without economic means, pursuant to the Burlington/Carter analysis). She has a number of published decisions in various courts in special education and additional education-related areas of law.
Michele has two sons, balancing her career in special education law with her family and community involvement.
Education
- Juris Doctor, Hofstra University School of Law
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education, Boston University
- Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, Boston University
Admitted to Practice
- New York
- District of Columbia
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
Professional and Community Involvement
- Council of Parent, Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), Chair 2016-2017, Board member 2008- present
- New York State Bar Association, Committee on Issues Affecting People with Disabilities, Member 1991-2017
- Midway Jewish Center Sisterhood, former board member
- Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), former board member
- The Center for Learning Differences, board member
- Autism Coalition of the Empire State (ACES), former board member
- New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) Professional Advisory Board, former board member
Awards/Honors
- New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) Advocacy Award (2/26/09)
- Eden II Programs Community Leadership Award (6/3/04)
- Woman of Achievement, Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island Region (5/29/13)
Contributing Author
- One Letter at a Time
- Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills
- Are There Too Many Due Process Cases? An Examination of Jurisdictions with Relatively High Rates of Special Education Hearings
Contributing Legal Consultant