Elizabeth has spent the last decade advocating for people with disabilities at the administrative, state, and federal level.

Elizabeth received her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. After graduation, Elizabeth worked in private practice, advocating for parents of children with disabilities in regional center, school district, and health insurance matters. From 2012 to 2018, she was the Inland Empire Regional Director at Disability Rights Legal Center. As Regional Director, Elizabeth was responsible for special education advocacy and civil rights litigation within San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, specializing in disability discrimination cases. She also managed the Disability Rights Law Clinic at the University of La Verne College of Law.

Elizabeth is an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne College of Law, teaching coursework in special education and disability rights law.

Elizabeth has presented seminars at national conferences, including at the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and the American Bar Association, and she is the co-chair of Practising Law Institute’s annual Special Education Law Conference. She serves on the Board of Directors for Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board and Ichi Villa: Alliance for Autism.

Maggie Roberts has been practicing disability law in California for twenty-five years. She has a private law practice in Oakland, CA specializing in representing children with disabilities in special education cases. Her work email address is maggierobertslaw@gmail.com.

Prior to establishing her own special education law practice, Maggie worked for Disability Rights California for fourteen years, first as a Staff Attorney, then as an Associate Managing Attorney.  She provided legal representation to children and young adults with disabilities on a variety of issues, including special education rights, civil rights, and access to community based services. She performed policy work and gave multiple training presentations across California to protect the rights of children with disabilities. She also represented children and young adults in administrative and court cases, including impact litigation. Before joining Disability Rights California, Maggie had her own law practice in San Francisco specializing in representing individuals with disabilities in benefits claims and appeals.

Maggie graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 1990. She completed a summer clerkship with the Honorable Dolores Sloviter of the Federal Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and a year-long clerkship with the Superior Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Prior to attending law school, Maggie worked as a counselor supporting youth and families.

This is Maggie’s fourth year co-facilitating a full day Special Education Law training program through PLI.