Attorneys

How many States have legal support or attorneys that specifically support the work of Special Education in their departments?

Our state permits parties to bring attorneys to mediation.  We now have attorneys taking over the process and refusing to follow our policies and procedures for mediation.  We’re looking to see what other states do, and to beef up our policies and procedures to support our mediators in the process.  The following are some recent examples that have been relayed to me. 1. Parties show up at mediation with attorneys.  Attorneys advise mediator they are working on an agreement and they will be discussing separately, outside the presence of the mediator.  Then: a.

A parent has asserted that there exists a law that prohibits school attorneys from attending mediation if a parent does not have an attorney.  I have never been aware of such a law/rule.  I think  the parent has mistaken resolution sessions for mediations but is anyone aware of a federal law/rule that prohibits school attorneys from attending mediation if a parent does not have an attorney.  Also, are there any states that have such prohibitions?

How often are attorneys involved in mediation? How often are they representing the parent? How often are they representing the school?