I am an experienced attorney and founder of a special education law practice that focuses on litigating complex administrative matters, and advising clients through high-stakes education advocacy issues in New York and New Jersey. If your child has, or if you suspect that your child may have, a disability or condition that may affect his or her education, you will need to become well-versed in spe
cial education law and procedures. Parents of children with disabilities must be treated as equal members of the IEP team, and your child's education program must be based upon competent data and tailored to his or her specific needs. I can help you navigate this process, and will not only fight beside you and for you when necessary, but will also help empower you to be an effective advocate for your child. In 2024, I founded The Law Office of Vanessa Jachzel, PLLC, a litigation-focused New York practice representing parents in due process hearings to secure private school placements, compensatory services, educational evaluations, and attorney fees. I obtained over $6 million in private school tuition and services for the 2024–2025 school year, with projected recoveries for 2025-2026 nearing $8 million. I founded The Law Office of Vanessa Jachzel, LLC in 2011. This practice focuses on advising New Jersey parents on all aspects of the special education process and related advocacy matters including evaluation and classification disputes, development and implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), private placements, discipline matters, and enforcement of rights through mediation and litigation. For over 13 years I was Of Counsel to the Law Offices of H. Jeffrey Marcus, P.C., a prominent New York special education law firm, where I independently litigated numerous impartial due process hearings, handled appeals and enforcement proceedings. I began my legal career in 1996 as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Arnold M. Stein of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. From 1996-2004 I was an associate at Wolff & Samson, LLP (now CSG Law), one of New Jersey’s leading law firms, where I handled complex litigation and public finance matters. I also have significant public service and leadership experience, serving four terms as Councilwoman for the Borough of Ramsey (2008-2019). During this tenure, I was twice selected as Council President, chaired multiple committees, including Finance and Administration; Public and Governmental Relations; and Health, Education, and Social Services. From 2005-2007 I served on the Ramsey Zoning Board of Adjustment, a quasi-judicial body presiding over Municipal Land Use Law hearings. Cardozo School of Law, where I was a Senior Editor of the Cardozo Law Review, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, and a recipient of the Jacob Burns Medal for Distinguished Achievement. I also served as a judicial law clerk in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York through the Alexander Fellows Judicial Program. I hold a B.A. in English, magna cm laude, from Montclair State University.
