HOW WE CAN HELP
When you have a child who has a disability you are confronted by many challenges. Our philosophy is to confront each of these challenges head on. Our mission is to provide specialized and expert legal advocacy to help you navigate each of these challenges. So that you can be confident that you’ve done all you can for your child.
Our legal services include:
- Supplemental Needs Trusts
- Special Needs Trusts
- Wills and Estate Planning
- Guardianship
- Alternatives to Guardianship
- Private Insurance Appeals
- Public Health Care Coverage Appeals
- Special Education Law
- Medical Assistance
- Social Security
- Probate
- Public Policy
- General counsel for disability organizations
Focus on the Future
As a parent, when your child is diagnosed with autism or another disability, anxiety about their future can be overwhelming. If something were to happen to you today, who would care for your child? How would they pay for everything he or she needs?
Specialized estate planning can help you ensure that your child’s guardian will have the financial
resources to take care of your child. If you or a well-meaning grandparent leaves money for a child who has a disability, this may create problems with eligibility for medical assistance or other government benefits that are crucial for services and supports, including future needs for vocational training and residential housing. You should have a supplemental needs trust so that you and others, such as grandparents, can make distributions for the benefit of your child without disrupting your child’s health care and well-being. The Autism Advocacy and Law Center, L.L.C. offers comprehensive estate planning services at affordable prices for families who have a child with autism or any other disability.
Advocacy and Public Policy
The Autism Advocacy & Law Center is working to:
- end insurance discrimination against autism
- fight harmful seclusion and restraint at schools
- increase affordable access to medically necessary care for all individuals who have autism and developmental disabilities
To join the grassroots advocacy effort, sign up for Action Alerts at our Web site and follow us on Twitter.
Amy Dawson is the parent of twins, one of whom has autism and special health care needs. She began practicing law in 1992 at the firm of Faegre & Benson, L.L.P. in Minneapolis. She also worked at the PACER Center and is a member of the Board of the Arc Greater Twin Cities. Amy’s law practice focuses on issues related to autism, disabilities, insurance and estate planning.
Bob Gunderson inspired me to devote my practice to individuals who have disabilities, their families, and the organizations that serve them. Bob Gunderson was my mentor, friend and colleague and I miss him very much. Bob Gunderson served the disability community as an attorney, as a brother, and as a dedicated volunteer who spent many hours in service to organizations such as Opportunity Partners, Fraser, PACER, and the Arc of Minnesota and Arc Greater Twin Cities.