Hansen & Cleary, LLC

03/30/2026

🌸 Spring is here! 🌸

As the school year winds down, this season brings an important reminder for families of students with special needs: it’s time for IEP meetings and annual reviews.

📚 These meetings are a chance to:
✔️ Reflect on your child’s progress
✔️ Update goals and supports
✔️ Advocate for what your child needs to succeed

💡 Tip: Come prepared with questions, notes, and your vision for your child’s growth next year. Your voice matters—YOU are a key part of the team!

Let’s finish the school year strong and set our students up for success. 💙 Contact Hansen & Cleary to provide the most effective advocacy at your child's next IEP meeting:

The Hansen & Cleary Law Firm provides legal services to children & families, the disabled, mental health law, schools and non-profit agencies.

02/23/2026

Starting in January 2026, per Public Act 104-0368, school districts in Illinois will now have more time to respond to parents’ requests for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE) and to complete the evaluation. Currently, school districts have just five (5) calendar days to either agree to funding the IEE or file a due process hearing request. Under the new law, Districts will have seven (7) school days. Districts will also now have 60 school days, instead of 30, to complete the IEE, though this timeline can be extended. To read the amendments for yourself, click here:

Welcome to the Official government website of the Illinois General Assembly

01/22/2026

Hansen & Cleary is SUPER proud to announce that Jenni Hansen has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer for the 6th year in a row! Please help us congratulate Jenni on a job well done.

11/06/2025

Please help us celebrate our amazing paralegal, Mauriel Henry's, 5 year Anniversary with Hansen & Cleary! We are so proud of Mauriel's growth over these past 5 years. She is fantastic at her job and a pleasure to work with every day. Congratulation Mauriel!!

10/09/2025

New legislation alert, Public Act 104-0211: As of August 15, 2025 new limitations have been imposed on settlement and mediation agreements regarding students’ special educational rights. Now, parties may only waive prospective claims that involve the specific student and that are related to the dispute being settled. Additionally, the waiver must be “reasonable” in length and cannot exceed the duration of the settlement agreement.

For the full text of the amendment, see -

Bill Text (2025-08-15) SCH CD-SPECIAL ED-SETTLEMENT [Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0211]

09/15/2025

Are you looking for excellent legal representation for your child's education matter? At Hansen & Cleary we will advocate for your child's unique needs.

08/14/2025

As the new school year begins, parents of students with special needs may be attending back-to-school IEP meetings. Here are some tried and true tips to help you prepare for your next meeting:
https://www.hansencleary.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Hansen-Cleary-Article-Page.pdf

06/26/2025

Today is the 8th anniversary of the founding of Hansen & Cleary, LLC! We would not be here without the support of our amazing employees, clients and referral sources. A giant thank you to everyone who have helped us along the way!

05/13/2025

Our entire team at Hansen & Cleary enjoying the Women's Power Lunch last week at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chicago.

05/01/2025

Thank you to The Alliance for Early Childhood for the Sponsor Spotlight. We are so happy to sponsor such an incredible organization.

🌟 Sponsor Spotlight: Hansen & Cleary 🌟

We are proud supporters of the Alliance for Early Childhood and their incredible work in our community. Together, we’re working to achieve meaningful outcomes for children and their families.​

Hansen & Cleary, LLC is a boutique law firm based in Northbrook, Illinois, dedicated to representing children, families, individuals with disabilities, medical and mental health professionals, private schools, and non-profit agencies throughout the greater Chicagoland area and the State of Illinois. Their practice areas include special education law, mental health law, guardianship, school discipline, and more.

Learn more: https://www.hansencleary.com/

Thank you, Hansen & Cleary, for your partnership and support!

Hansen & Cleary, LLC

04/24/2025

Our colleague, Erin Ross of The A.T. Tutor, is co-hosting a free webinar with Kirby Rabalais, a father of a son with Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome and founder/coach of 4titude on May 7th at noon. They will be sharing their story of connection and the missions of our companies. Anyone interested should check it out.

03/03/2025

Hansen & Cleary was honored to attend the Hyde Park Day School 25th Anniversary Gala on Friday night to support the Bright Futures Scholarship Fund.