Meet Our Practice
Over 20 Years Experience, Passion, Diligence Specializing in Education Law Representing Only Students & Their Families
After years of practicing civil and commercial litigation, sisters Lori Kirsch-Goodwin and Hope Kirsch founded their law firm in 2006 with a shared commitment to advocating for students throughout Arizona, from preschool through K–12 and higher education.
Together, Lori and Hope combine their extensive litigation experience with their unique personal and professional backgrounds to provide knowledgeable, compassionate, and tenacious advocacy. They understand the challenges families face and are committed to protecting students' rights and helping each student obtain the educational opportunities and services to which they are entitled.
Both Lori and Hope have consistently been recognized by their peers as Top Lawyers in Education Law by PHOENIX magazine.
Attorney Lori Kirsch-Goodwin
As the mother of an adult son with special needs, Lori brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to her legal practice. Her journey through the special education system began when one of her twin sons was found eligible for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in kindergarten. Having navigated the public school system as both a parent and an attorney, Lori understands firsthand the challenges families face in securing appropriate educational services and protecting their children's rights. Her personal experience, combined with her extensive legal background, provides her with a valuable understanding of both the legal and practical issues confronting parents of children with disabilities.
Lori earned her Bachelor's degree from Syracuse University and her law degree from the University of Bridgeport School of Law (now Quinnipiac University School of Law). She is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in New York, New Jersey, and Arizona, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Among her professional accomplishments, Lori successfully represented a client before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case involving the appropriateness of the location of a private school placement for a student with autism. She has earned the prestigious AV® Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, recognizing high levels of legal ability and professional ethics, and has served as a Judge Pro Tem in the Superior Court of Arizona.
Lori's combination of personal experience, legal knowledge, and courtroom advocacy brings an important perspective to her representation of students with disabilities and their families.
Attorney Hope Kirsch
Hope N. Kirsch, M.A.(Ed.), Esq. is an attorney with more than 30 years of litigation experience whose practice is devoted to advocating for students with disabilities and their families throughout Arizona. Her unique background as a special education teacher, school administrator, and attorney provides her with a comprehensive understanding of special education law from both the educational and legal perspectives.
Ms. Kirsch represents and advises families in all aspects of special education law, including eligibility and evaluations, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, disciplinary matters, bullying, administrative complaints, IDEA due process hearings, appeals, and complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Her practice includes advocating for students and families at IEP meetings, negotiating resolutions with school districts, and litigating complex special education disputes.
Before entering the legal profession, Ms. Kirsch spent 18 years as a special education teacher and school administrator in the New York City public schools. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Special Education from Boston University, her Master's degree in Special Education from New York University, and completed postgraduate studies in educational supervision and administration. She received her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School.
Ms. Kirsch is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New York and Arizona, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She is a frequent speaker at national and local legal education programs on special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the rights of students with disabilities. She also consults to attorneys in other states on special education matters.