A Special Education Lawyer in Glastonbury, CT, Serving Families

Attorney Terry Bedard has dedicated her legal practice to protecting the educational rights of students with disabilities and special needs. Since her son was diagnosed with a profound hearing loss in 1994, she has been a strong advocate for him and other families who struggle to obtain educational services, placements, and appropriate accommodations. When you need help from a disability and special education lawyer in Glastonbury, CT, contact The Law Office of Terry Bedard.

Her History of Advocacy

Terry graduated from Western New England University School of Law with her law degree in 1991. After her son’s diagnosis and facing challenges within the education system on his behalf, she developed a passion for advocating for students like him. She shifted her firm’s focus to consulting and legal services for children with disabilities and became highly involved in community organizing.

In 2007, Terry cofounded the Hear Here Hartford Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America, a nonprofit organization that empowers teens and young adults with hearing loss. She currently leads the chapter. Since 2008, she has been an active member of the Connecticut Coalition for the Education of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Children, chaired by the Connecticut State Department of Education. Likewise, since 2010, she has participated in the Early Detection and Hearing Intervention Task Force. Terry and her husband also chaired the Connecticut Walk4Hearing started in 2011 and raised several hundreds of thousands of dollars for people with hearing loss throughout the state. 

One of her proudest achievements as a speaker on special education law was chairing and successfully advocating for a Deaf Child Bill of Rights, passed in Connecticut in 2012 under PA 12-173 (HB 5353). This legislation requires that a Language and Communication Plan be attached to every deaf and hard of hearing child’s IEP. Recently, she also joined the Executive Board of the Americans with Disabilities Act Coalition of Connecticut.

Over the years, Terry has received many recognition awards for her advocacy and community service as an education law attorney. She looks forward to continuing to serve students and families for many years to come.