Our family met with Michele Kule-Korgood at the beginning of our special needs son’s ‘Turning 5’ process. The exceptional approved, non-public school that our family had found appropriate for our son had recommended that we reach out to a special education attorney if we were interested in attending the private school and highly recommended Michele. We could not have been more pleased with Michele and her team’s work, customer service, and results. Our son’s case was a rare and complicated case and Michele handled the case masterfully. Her knowledge, experience, and brilliance shone as she was able to think both big-picture, strategically, and out-of-the-box and also think tactically and still sweat the details. I loved her approach of working in the spirit of partnership and collaboration, including working collaboratively with the Department of Education (DOE). I was very impressed with the well-deserved recognition, accolades, and respect that she had established with the DOE and I’m sure her approach and reputation strongly contributed to our success. Michele held our hand and guided us through a very frightening and daunting process and succeeded in obtaining first pendency and then approved, non-public school placement. Today our son is thriving in the school and we shudder to think how he would be doing and the path that he would be on had we not partnered with Michele. We met Michele at a critical inflection point for our family and Michele put our son on the path to a very strong foundation and on a trajectory to where sky is the limit. Our family is extremely thankful and will be eternally grateful for the exceptional and great work that she and her team did on behalf of our family. Words cannot accurately describe or express our deepest and sincerest gratitude and how happy that we are for having crossed paths with Michele. I strongly and highly recommend Michele Kule-Korgood and Associates without any reservations, qualms, or hesitation. She’s the best and is recognized as such, she provides exceptional white glove service and is always available, and most importantly she achieves the objective. Go with Michele, listen to her and do the things that she says, and trust that you’ve maximized your chance of success. The best of luck on your family’s journey!
-Parents of David
"We met Michele Kule-Korgood when our son was just three years old. The instant connection and natural trust came into our lives during a time of great fear for our son’s future. Her warmth and wisdom was reassuring and we knew instantly that our child would become her child. Ten years later and we still marvel at her brilliance, dedication and heart. Our once three year old is now approaching high school and so Michele has officially and unquestionably become family. We hired her as our attorney but she advocates like a mother. Words cannot amply express her passionate commitment, masterful expertise and tenacious drive. Her attention to detail is superior and year after year, case after case, in a system that becomes more complex her warrior status has not wavered and she has not been defeated. She has moved mountains with her exceptional hands for our son’s education and therefore she has undoubtedly changed his life and ours for the better. We could not have achieved such success with out her. He continues to make progress and us proud, and we look forward to the future because Michele is vested in it. Michele Kule-Korgood is our security that he will maintain the appropriate garden to grow in. We are forever grateful."
-D.G and S.G.
"It truly takes a village to raise a special needs child. Michele Kule-Korgood and her associates have played an important role in the success of our son Hugo. The firm has been a guiding force in all that is the New York City school system. If there was one piece of advice I'd give a family starting the process of IEPs and therapy is to know there are professionals who've been there and done it before you. In my first phone call to Michele in explaining our unique situation, feeling I was the only one who could understand, she was very informative, kind and genuine. There have been many calls since, and I continue to feel Hugo's educational well-being is a top priority for them as well as us. When I hear about other families' experiences with their attorneys I feel fortunate that Michele and her firm are prompt in returning calls and giving me the time and latitude to explain our needs for Hugo. They are not only a part of our team, but a part of Hugo's journey as a growing boy on the Spectrum."
-Parents of Hugo
"My son Marty was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum (formerly PDD-NOS) in July 1998 when he was 2 1/2 years old. Not only was I unprepared for the medical and educational challenges that lie ahead I was equally unprepared for the years long battle with the New York City Board of Education (now called the Department of Education) that would be required to ensure that my son received the appropriate education and services. Thankfully shortly after my son was diagnosed I met Michele.
Marty is now 18 years old and Michele (and her associates and staff) are still fighting the good fight on behalf of my son. There have been years we have had to go to impartial hearing (we won) and years we have settled (sometimes as late as the night before the hearing was to begin). Throughout, the past 15 plus years I have been able to focus on Marty and his educational needs because I knew I could count on Michele to deal with the Board of Ed.
Be assured, Michele and everyone on her staff is committed to doing the right thing for you and your child and doing whatever it takes to ensure that your child receives everything your child is legally entitled to receive. I can personally attest that having Michele and her team on your side makes a long and difficult journey just a little easier."
-M.S.
"When I started to have problems with the [school district’s] lack-luster care of my Autistic little boy, I began to look for help. A friend took me to a workshop where I heard this amazing young lady speak about my family's rights, about how an IEP meeting should be conducted, what responsibilities [the school district] had with providing a good, safe, learning environment. It was a life changing day. I took her number and when things really went bad with my child's schooling, I called her to ask for help. Michele Kule-Korgood is the best special needs lawyer, bar none, in this city. Since we put our case in her tireless hands, my little boys went from unhappy, unsuccessful students to happy ,well-adjusted, fun loving, great kids. I love this law firm. The staff are all great, caring people. We are so grateful that we found Ms. Kule-Korgood right when we really needed help. SHE IS THE BEST."
-R.B. and S.B.
"We want to thank you. Everyone in your office should be very proud of the job they do. All of you enable children like Frank to get the education they deserve and not get lost. The ability to go to Lowell has changed Frank's life tremendously, but also everyone in the family. Thank you for making that happen."
-Parents of Frank
We have had the good fortune to work with Michele on our son’s case for the past 14 years. As an attorney myself, I knew enough to know that we needed a special type of lawyer to help us navigate the labyrinth of New York City special education services. Prior to hiring Michele, we spoke with several of the prominent education lawyers in the city and decided that Michele would be the best fit for us. Michele is proactive, rather than reactive, very much reflective of the way I always practiced law. Michele prefers to be involved from the start, so that no problem arises. For 14 years, she has advised us regarding every communication with the Department of Education, heading off many of the issues that typically come up in these types of cases, as we have learned from listening to the experiences of many friends and acquaintances. We have consistently had very positive interactions with the Department of Education about our son’s education – always settling on very fair terms – and we attribute this success to the time, attention and considerable expertise that Michele has brought to our case. In our opinion, Michele’s thoughtful and caring attention to detail is the reason our journey has been so smooth. We wholeheartedly recommend her, both as an attorney and as a person.
-H.S. & B.W.