History
Carly and Evan co-founded the Special Education Collaboration Project (SECP) in 2008 in furtherance of their mission to create greater access and opportunities for children with disabilities. When Carly provided direct intervention to students with disabilities in home and school settings, she found that many of her clients had identical programs offered by the school district that ignored the student's individual and unique needs. Evan started his career in criminal defense and quickly discovered that many of his clients had learning differences and mental health needs that went undiagnosed and untreated. Evan and Carly's exposure to the inequity experienced by individuals with disabilities catapulted them into their current role of advocates for the disabled. This made them eager to cultivate their own practice, one that would effectively intersect their expertise and their desire to serve the community. The objective of SECP is to ensure your child receives an appropriate individualized education in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Carly and Evan are passionate about advocating for their clients and decreasing the disparity between school districts and the families they serve.
Advocacy requires knowing your child, understanding their disability and working in collaboration with school districts and charter schools. SECP values the uniqueness of each child and the importance of a parent's role as their child's most powerful advocate.
Get in touch
We know that finding the right attorney to represent you and your child is a choice not to be taken lightly. That’s why we offer free consultations to walk you through your needs and the scope of your goals.
Attorneys
Partner
Evan B. Goldsen
From working in the field of criminal defense in law school to transitioning to special education law in 2008, Evan has represented people with disabilities in need of quality legal service for almost 10 years. He is most passionate about ending the school to prison pipeline and ensuring access to quality mental health services. Evan has successfully advocated for students in various forums including IEP meetings, due process hearings, expulsion hearings, manifestation hearings, SARB hearings, and in state and federal court. In addition, he has successfully argued in the California Court of Appeals, Fifth Appellate District. Evan also has experience litigating disability discrimination lawsuits and has been successful in securing high dollar settlements for students who have been discriminated against based on their disabilities. Evan has been a guest lecturer at San Francisco State University and has presented at Support for Families of Children with Disabilities and Community Alliance for Special Education (CASE).
Evan is a member of the Council of Parents Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA) and California Association of Parent and Child Advocacy (CAPCA).
Evan takes a collaborative approach to each individual case, ensuring that the child is the focus of all service he provides. In his spare time, Evan enjoys surfing, traveling and most of all spending time with his three children, ages 4, 5, and 8.
Bar Admission
• California
Partner
Carly M. Christopher
Carly previously worked as a behavioral consultant and behavioral therapist for various non-public agencies (NPA) in California serving students with autism and emotional disturbance (ED) both in the home and school settings. In addition, she developed behavior plans with educators and parents with a focus on positive reinforcement systems. During her years in law school, she was a law clerk for Disability Rights California, formerly known as Protection & Advocacy. Following law school, Carly worked at Loughrey and Woelfel, a firm specializing in special education litigation.
Carly has worked in over 50 school districts, successfully resolving cases for students with a variety of disabilities including, but not limited to, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, rare genetic disorders, and severe depression. In 2016, Carly successfully argued in front of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals creating caselaw that would improve the lives of children with disabilities across the country. She is dedicated to working towards inclusive societies for people living with disabilities. She has guest lectured at Touro University, San Francisco State University and for agencies supporting people with disabilities such as Support for Families of Children with Disabilities in San Francisco. In addition, she has presented at the California Association of Behavior Analyst Conference with a team of psychologists and educators.
She is a member of the Council of Parents Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA) and California Association of Parent and Child Advocacy (CAPCA). She believes that each and every person deserves dignity and respect and the opportunity to be a contributing member of society.
Carly brings an exceptional level of passion, dedication, and experienced perspective to each case. In her spare time, Carly enjoys Afro-Cuban dancing, running and being in nature with her three children.
Bar Admission
• California
Mrs. Christopher arguing in front of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
San Francisco, California
September 16, 2015
