Firm Overview
The firm was founded in 2019 as a woman-owned-business by founder/principal Janine Brown-Smith, after decades of prior experience working in private special education schools, children and adult residential programs and large-scale legal firms. Brown-Smith Attorneys at Law was founded under the principals of integrity, dedication to our client’s best interests, and commitment to providing the highest quality educational services for students with special needs. We provide legal services to not-for-profit and for-profit special education representatives, specializing in private schools and agencies. Our attorneys have served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by creating and sustaining a viable system of alternative educational program options in special education with their combined experience of over 50 years in the field. Our commitment to our clients and the services they provide to individuals with special needs is paramount to the work we do.
Assisting Clients with Complex Rate Setting Matters
An important part of our practice is rate setting. In the most basic sense, this means we help schools and human service agencies navigate the rate setting and regulatory framework to obtain payment for the services they provide. The regulations surrounding payment for special education services are complex. We are among the very few law firms that understand the intricacies of the process for setting payment (prices) rates for private service providers.
Our legal services include:
- Program Approvals for Special Education Day and Residential Education Programs, reporting to state agencies, licensing by state agencies, regulatory and financial compliance, and appeals with federal and state agencies
- Applications to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Operational Services Division (OSD) for New Program Programs, Program Reconstructions, Extraordinary Relief and Special Circumstances
- Represent clients on matters with Early Education and Care, Department of Children and Families, Department of Developmental Services, Disabled Persons Protection Commission, Attorney General Office, and the Disability Law Center
- Assistance with Administrative Reviews conducted by OSD
- General corporate law, contracts, employment, wage and hour
- Clinical probate matters, including guardianship issues and conflicts, Do-not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders, medication and substituted judgment
- Not-for-profit governance advice including with leadership, and the Boards of Directors
- Appearances before all state licensing boards and agencies on behalf of clients, including BSEA, stay put, emergency terminations, crisis situations
- Regulatory analysis and review
- Best practices education and analysis
Firm Overview
The firm was founded in 2019 as a woman-owned-business by founder/principal Janine Brown-Smith, after decades of prior experience working in private special education schools, children and adult residential programs and large-scale legal firms. Brown-Smith Attorneys at Law was founded under the principals of integrity, dedication to our client’s best interests, and commitment to providing the highest quality educational services for students with special needs. We provide legal services to not-for-profit and for-profit special education representatives, specializing in private schools and agencies. Our attorneys have served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by creating and sustaining a viable system of alternative educational program options in special education with their combined experience of over 50 years in the field. Our commitment to our clients and the services they provide to individuals with special needs is paramount to the work we do.
Assisting Clients with Complex Rate Setting Matters
An important part of our practice is rate setting. In the most basic sense, this means we help schools and human service agencies navigate the rate setting and regulatory framework to obtain payment for the services they provide. The regulations surrounding payment for special education services are complex. We are among the very few law firms that understand the intricacies of the process for setting payment (prices) rates for private service providers.
Our legal services include:
- Program Approvals for Special Education Day and Residential Education Programs, reporting to state agencies, licensing by state agencies, regulatory and financial compliance, and appeals with federal and state agencies
- Applications to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Operational Services Division (OSD) for New Program Programs, Program Reconstructions, Extraordinary Relief and Special Circumstances
- Represent clients on matters with Early Education and Care, Department of Children and Families, Department of Developmental Services, Disabled Persons Protection Commission, Attorney General Office, and the Disability Law Center
- Assistance with Administrative Reviews conducted by OSD
- General corporate law, contracts, employment, wage and hour
- Clinical probate matters, including guardianship issues and conflicts, Do-not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders, medication and substituted judgment
- Not-for-profit governance advice including with leadership, and the Boards of Directors
- Appearances before all state licensing boards and agencies on behalf of clients, including BSEA, stay put, emergency terminations, crisis situations
- Regulatory analysis and review
- Best practices education and analysis