Dina Kaplan helped my wife and I navigate an IEP process gone-bad with our daughter. She didn't over-promise results. Instead she delivered and we are so grateful! This was the first time I've hired an attorney for anything. We spoke with several before choosing Dina as she was responsive, empathetic, no-nonsense and has a great reputation along with the firm Vanaman German. I was nervous about the costs spinning out of control but thankfully, they did not. Dina was always clear about the financial aspect of things as well as the ins and outs of what was happening with our case. No one should have to hire an attorney to get a free appropriate education, but if things don't go well with the school district, or something just seems off, I cannot emphasize just how helpful it is to have a good attorney to help! I have no doubt we would have not gotten as good of a result without Dina and Vanaman German's help. Contrary to some warnings I'd gotten from others, having someone fight for us allowed me to avoid getting too hot-headed and damaging our relationship with our school district. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! read more

I am writing to express my strong dissatisfaction with Valerie Vanaman representation during the mediation with LRC Lanterman Regional Center. During the session, I was physically poked and accused of taking money ????, yet she failed to intercede or speak up on my behalf. I expected professional support and advocacy, which were entirely absent. Please, be advised regarding her services that this firm engages in predatory tactics. It felt like I was set up by the firm. I didn't understand why we had that mediation. It felt like unnecessary procedural war with Pat Hooth. I was verbally and physically abused during the mediation by LRC and the mediator herself!!!!! Sincerely, Karen Pyudik read more

Working with this firm was an absolute game changer. We worked with two different attorneys, and both of them truly stepped up for our family. They were kind, patient, and incredibly knowledgeable -- you can tell they really know their stuff and care deeply about helping children get the support they deserve. Throughout the process, they guided us every step of the way, explained everything clearly, and fought hard for our family. They even went above and beyond, offering selfless advice that showed how much they genuinely cared about our child's well-being. Their professionalism, compassion, and effectiveness made a difficult situation so much easier to handle. If you need legal support, don't think twice about reaching out. They get results and truly make a difference. read more

I can't recommend David German and the team at Vanaman German LLP enough. From the beginning David was knowledgeable, thorough, compassionate, and truly committed to helping my family through a very stressful time. David's dedication to my daughter and his skill as an attorney exceeded any expectation imaginable. David was aggressive when it counted and unrelenting in his efforts. He didn't just represent my daughter-he truly battled for her. His commitment was fierce because he genuinely cared about my child and her future. His assistant Nisha was also wonderful. She was always organized, warm, and on top of every detail. I am forever grateful to both of them. David German is more than an amazing attorney, he's a magnificent person. I feel honored that my daughter was represented by David German. read more

Attorney, Valerie Vanaman is the best! I am still so very happy and thankful for Ms. Vanaman. She is extremely knowledgeable, thorough and professional. She advocated for my daughter to be placed in a special school within the Help Group. My daughter, Alix, is in her 30's now, was able to go on from the small private school, to graduate from California State University, Northridge, (CSUN) I don't believe this would have been possible without the efforts of Valarie Vanaman, Esq. Thank you so very much. You were a blessing and, I see, still are to many! read more

For years, Vanaman German--and Eric Menyuk in particular--have successfully advocated for our child's special needs. I appreciate that the team is efficient, realistic, and diplomatic and that Eric appropriately represents our son with ease. Thank you! read more

Our family has worked with Vanaman German LLP since 2010, and Eric Menyuk has been a steady, knowledgeable partner throughout our children's special education journey. He prepares us thoroughly for IEPs, coordinates with evaluators, and negotiates services with a calm, strategic approach. Communication is timely and clear, and he takes the time to explain options so we can make informed decisions. If you need strong, compassionate advocacy for a student with special needs in Los Angeles, we highly recommend Eric Menyuk and the team at Vanaman German LLP. read more

I want to say a huge thank you to Jodi Bynder with Vanaman German LLP. She came highly recommended, and I can see why. I didn't know where to turn for help as my son with autism had been attending a small private school for many years and it was time for him to go to high school. There was no way that he was going to go to the local public school as it would set him back years. Jodi gave me amazing advice and handled LAUSD for us like a true professional. After we met via zoom regarding our son with negotiations with LAUDS, she got us so much more than we were even asking for. The weight of the world on my shoulders was finally lifted! Thank you Jodi and your team for all of your help. I can't even begin to thank you for what you have done for our family! read more

We were referred to Vanaman/German by a close friend who is high up in the education sector. She told me, when it comes to Special Education, LAUSD "shits their pants" when they see Valerie's letter head. Valerie personally follows all of her cases, and as an experienced advocate she knows what she's doing.. she is the best In the business. The firm has been handling our case with LAUSD for 3 months now and it has been a breeze. The district responded within a day after recieving the initial correspondence from the firm. I am confident things will go well. read more

Finally sitting down to take a moment of gratitude with David German he helped us figure out my daughter's iep with the Las Virgenes unified District in our experience and just about any other parent that has experienced disappointment. In my opinion who by the way feels like they have no best interest for the kids on special education they treat the individuals with no respect and don't care that we as parents just want what's best for our kiddos.As a parent of a child on the spectrum and learning disabilities the iep meetings are my high stress I was tired of seeing my daughter crying every time I dropped her off at school and for myself being yelled and be littled for having concerns and questions during our Annual IEP meetings.Finally I was reffered to this law firm. I am for ever grateful they helped us advocate for my daughter's rights with compassion! I highly recommend DAVID GERMAN thank you for your support and compassion! read more

Jodi is one of the kindest and most caring special education attorneys we've ever experienced. She is knowledgeable and fights for the rights of her clients. Jodi patiently guided us through the special education process, which can be overwhelming at times, to ensure the best outcome for our son and daughter. She was honest explaining accurately all the different scenarios as she guided us and helped us prepare, putting us at ease knowing we were in the right hands. We had not one, but two of the best outcomes we could have hoped for, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Jodi. I would highly recommend Jodi Bynder's legal services for anyone looking for a special education attorney for their child, in my opinion she is one of the best. read more

Jodi Bynder at Vanaman German is a top-notch attorney that will get the case done quickly and advantageously. I could not imagine a smoother process in our mediation with LAUSD. In fact, Jodi made it so smooth, I really thought we were missing something. However, with just a few meetings and phone calls, we reached an outcome that we were more than happy with! read more

I wish there was something greater than five stars I could give David German. We were referred to David by a friend who told us that "his" friend (a high powered tech executive) had previously retained David for a special education case, and that supposedly David was THE guy you wanted if you were in the Los Angeles area. That praise sounded pretty over the top. It wasn't. David is very smart, very good at what he does, and a genuinely caring person. He understands the law and can help if you are having problems related to education and special education rights. He will tell you if you have a good case, and he will also tell you if he thinks you don't and won't string you along. You do not understand the rules or what your rights are. You need someone on your side who does. This area of law is very complex and many schools do not understand it properly themselves and make a lot of mistakes. These mistakes can violate your kid's rights and damage their education. David German does understand these laws and can hold them accountable and protect your rights. David represented us and took care of everything. Our result exceeded all expectations we had going in. I trusted him and I'm so glad we did. I now tell people that if you are in LA with a special ed or IEP problem, David is THE guy you want. read more

Advocating for your child to receive the education they deserve, which is their right, is incredibly challenging. I was introduced to Jodi Bynder thru our Educational Consultant and she has been an incredible advocate. Jodi is a legal expert in educational rights for special needs children. Between her deep knowledge of the law, professionalism and empathy, she successfully navigated us through this difficult time. I especially appreciate her ability to discuss the pro's and con's of each step of the process in a way that was easy to understand, while at the same time sensitive that this was an emotional, challenging situation for our family. I highly recommend Jodi as an advocate for your child, she will guide you to the right result. read more

Dina Kalplan has been our attorney for years.  And this message long overdue; I am not much of a person that makes reviews, I prefer word of mouth references and through parent groups that feel trusted, but I think it needs to be done especially if by this mean more students get assistance it will worth it.  I want to say how blessed my family, especial my daughter, who is wheelchair bound and her condition is cerebral palsy(quadriplegic) because we have one of the luckiest to have met and work with Dina Kaplan and she has help up to an unmeasurable way to make sure her rights protected.  My daughter is now a 12th grader, and we owe part of the success in her education for the advocating for rights and legal support we received. Eternally grateful read more

Vanaman German - Disability Law Near Me - Sherman Oaks, California

25 years ago my son was diagnosed as severely autistic and moderately mentally retarded. I needed 1:1 ABA services from our school district which vehemently refused to pay for. I hired Valerie Vanaman to help me weather the storm before us. We won! Since then my son continued to thrived. He works and lives independently for the government. Pays for his own healthcare and saves for his retirement. He uses air transportation to & from the island. He paid for and drives his own car. He even has a healthy relationship from a girl he met in Jr. College. Without Valerie and her team's support and advocacy, the outcome would have been so different. read more

As a mom of an autistic child, with severe mental illness, Sophia Bliziotis came into my life like a gift. My daughter was in the 6th grade at an LAUSD Charter. I was at the end of the road in complete despair. This was her sixth school in five years. I had just finished our 13th IEP and had let go of our second attorney. I was completely defeated by an impossible system. I was unheard and totally alone. My daughter had just been released from the first of what was to be many hospitalizations and that's when Sophia came into our lives. Words fall short in expressing my gratitude. Sophia is not only deeply compassionate and committed, but her intelligence and sharpness leaves the district shaking in their boots. She is a Tiger. On a personal note, Sophia has shown me great kindness and support as a mom and a person. She has been my cheering section at my lowest moments and a true friend. Thank you Sophia. You have forever changed not only our lives, but the quality of our lives. read more

Special Education kids deserve the respect and services they need but unfortunately public schools, especially so-called "cash-strapped" LAUSD, will not do anything worthwhile for your child until you fight them with legal action. After getting referred to NAV Law to help guide us through the IEP process, there is no other person I would want on my side than David German. His knowledge and experience is matched only by his caring and thoughtful nature to help quell the nerves of very anxious parents. He's represented our family over the past 2 years and was successful in achieving what we wanted going up against the behemoth LAUSD. I can't imagine going through this process without having David on our side. :-) read more

Sophia has helped our family over the course of a decade. Sophia was an invaluable asset on our family's team as we fought to obtain special education services for our child. She is thoughtful, a strong presence at meetings and hearings, and an invaluable guide through a process that can feel confusing and counter-intuitive. read more

We're so grateful to have Jodi Bynder as our Special Education Attorney! Our son is on the spectrum and the process of going up against the school district is daunting, confusing and stressful, but she was incredible the whole way through. Not only did she get us everything we want/need for our son to continue to get a proper, quality education, but along the way she patiently and kindly answered all of our questions, guided us and helped us navigate this overwhelming process. And she continues to do so! She is kind, compassionate and extremely knowledgeable. She made sure all of our bases were covered because it was not only important to us, it was important to her. read more

Valerie and her team are there to help families in need. Not only did Valerie provide us expert legal advice, but she waived all her fees to help us get district funding for our child's expensive, long-term treatment. We are eternally grateful that Valerie helped us get the care and support our teen desperately needs! read more

Dina Kaplan has been representing us for over six years. We would not know what to do with out her. She has been Totally on top of our daughters complicated case, year after year fights for us! She is well versed with all the special education laws, and always brings her expertise to the table. Our daughter would not be where she is today if it weren't for Dina and her law firm. If you need a serious special Kids lawyer, I strongly recommend Dina at Vanaman German. read more

Jodi Bynder is an INCREDIBLE special education attorney. The process of fighting for our son's rights was overwhelming, exhausting and frankly heartbreaking at times. Having Jodi on our side advocating for everything our son needs and deservers helped us sleep at night. She is so knowledgeable, and is also able to explain everything in a very patient and easy to understand way. For anyone who finds themselves in the unfortunate position of having to take legal action against the school system, Jodi will do everything in her power to end at the best possible result. read more

This law office knows what it's doing when it comes to your child's education. She got my Son into a non-public school.. From start to finish with her, it was done in 1 1/2 years. The school district doesn't just hand out this sort of thing. It takes an expert, and that is what she is, an expert in the best interest of your child. I do not recommend ANY parent attend an IEP without an Advocate , and if you go to mediation you WANT this law office on your side!! read more

We have three children with autism. And at the beginning we were overwhelmed and confused. Valerie and her team are a huge part of why our kids will have a shot at a real future. Two are becoming animators and the youngest an actress. She fought for them and us when experts said they would go nowhere. Every parent needs a Valerie in their corner. We are forever in their debt. read more

Jodi Bynder has been our lawyer and incredible knowledgeable advisor for over 5 years. She's responsive, compassionate, and the expert in her field. She worked tirelessly to make sure LAUSD gave our child necessary emotional, social and educational support. She won't over-inflate your expectations or over bill. I highly recommend bringing her to IEP meetings and will continue to refer her to anyone in need of help navigating this fragmented system. read more

I have an autistic child and we needed some legal help obtaining services from the LAUSD. I heard a lot about Mrs. Vanaman herself, all positive stuff. However, instead of Mrs. Vanaman, I ended up with one of the lawyers she has working for her firm. He offered to help us for free, getting paid by the future settlement with the LAUSD. Therein laid the problem. This lawyer ended up doing EVERYTHING to obtain this settlement, INSTEAD of obtaining the services our child needed. Unfortunately, we discovered the compromised nature of this deal only a few days before the school year, with our back against the wall, being pushed by our OWN legal representative to settle on a major compromise! The lawyer's name is Bryan Winn, the last name meaning something totally opposite from end result of his work! Throughout the process, he was perpetually unprepared, caught off guard, never guided us in terms of what to do and choices available in dealing with school. Although very likable, likability is the last thing a parent needs in fighting for the best services his/her disabled child is entitled to. What one needs is a tough, knowledgeable professional able and willing to fight for your child's needs within the legal guidelines. This was not what we got with Mr. Winn. I complained about Mr. Winn to a few people I knew, including our pediatrician who knew everyone. She told me that she'd heard about Mr. Winn's 'tactics' and was not surprised I was unhappy. I strongly advise parents NOT to use his services available at this, otherwise, reputable firm. Having said that... perhaps Mrs. Vanaman knows what he is doing and enjoys getting a cut, keeping her hands clean. Who knows. I apologize if this is offensive but if Mr. Winn continues to do what he does, Mr. Vanaman's firm will no longer remain reputable. read more

Sofia Bliziotis at Newman Aaronson & Vanaman seems like she truly loves what she does . She made a huge positive impact on my son's life and I am so happy that we stumbled upon her. She truly fought for my son's rights and made a beautiful difference; it did not seem to make a difference that she took on our case pro bono. Thank you so much Newman Aaronson & Vamaman ! read more

After fighting with the LAUSD for 2 years I finally gave up and called Valerie Vanaman's office. The initial intake process was a little tedious, but my case was picked up by attorney David German. I cannot even express how amazing he is. Not only did he treat my whole family with the utmost respect, but he went out of his way to answer all my questions and concerns in a timely manner. We ultimately won our case, and thanks to Mr German I received a ton of services for my son. My son has come on leaps and bounds in this last year, and is thriving in his new school. I am so thankful to have had representation from Valerie Vananans office, and only wish I had met David German sooner. I have referred Mr German to several friends/colleagues who have all had excellent results. read more

I can't say enough about this firm. NEWMAN AARONSON VANAMAN have helped my family going on three years. Not only have they time and time again helped us get the services my son requires but the support and their continued kindness is something we as a family are grateful for. Attorney Bryan Winn has been my attorney during this time. First let me say he is a wonderful person who has made our process of fighting for our son a positive experience. To say your in good hands with Bryan is an understatement. Bryan has answered questions through text, a phone calls and emails off hours as well as on hours. The support and help he has given us is priceless and I'm thrilled he is always in our corner. This firm and the group of men and woman who work their , work had to help you because they care about your child. Bryan knows the system and has always throughly explained everything to us. He has always been honest and continues to fight for my son. As a family we are very lucky to have Bryan and this firm as part of our team. If you have a child who has special needs and you need help getting them the help they so rightly deserve this is the firm you should go with and in my opinion Bryan Winn is most defiantly the attorney you should have. read more

This is long awaited review and I finally had a moment to do this. I am forever grateful for the help of David German and his team of professionals. David and his team helped to get my child the education and services he deserves. As my husband and I were confused and not very knowledgeable with special education and the rights that go with it David provided us not only with his expert advise but he also educated us. My child was diagnosed with behavioral and learning disabilities that we knew nothing about as well. So everything was new and overwhelming to us. We didn't know where to turn to until I found Newman Aaronson Vanaman and was scheduled with David. My child got all of the services he not only deserved but needed to assist him with a proper public education. Today he is successful in his academics and is provided the proper services through his district. I definitely recommend David Newman to any parent that needs help with getting their child the special education services they deserve. read more

We are so grateful to David German for helping us navigate a very stressful and difficult time dealing with the school district's failure to provide legally-required services for our son during COVID-19. He was able to ensure we would get reimbursed for our son's 1:1 aide which we had to hire privately in our home since the district refused to accommodate his needs during "distance learning." Without David's help, 2020 would have been a complete loss of education for our son who is unable to attend to virtual classes without support - however, because of David's diligence we were able to get the support our needed to turn things around and salvage the school year. We went from being ready to pull our son out of school and just have him repeat 1st grade, to seeing him thrive, progress and meet grade-level standards because he David helped us secure the proper resources. His familiarity with the inner workings of the school district and even key individuals in the mediation process was a huge reassurance as well. Thank you, David! The impact you've made on our family is immeasurable! read more

Sophia Bliziotis of this firm, the best lawyer and a real human, not only she fights for our children's rights with school district , her kindness makes you feel like a family member, at one occasion in very difficult situation, I called her @9 pm, she drove quite a distance and came to our home to help us with no charge. Her price is very reasonable. read more

I had a horrible experience with Sophie at this firm and would not recommend her. After charging an outrageous consult fee she was unprofessional, at times reading incoming text/emails and rude. Parents go to this firm because we are fighting with school districts to get FAPE for our children and this woman is no better than than the condensing staff at our school. This rude woman could care less about our case. Fortunately I was connected to an attorney at a different firm who showed me compassion and was able to get me the service my daughter needed. Do not hire Sophia!! read more

Erick is an amazing attorney/advocate. He helped my mom when the district didn't want to help my sister with more supportive services. Due to her great outcome I reached out to him when our school district was not giving my son the support he needed. Even though we didn't have to go further to due process Erick guided me, and heard me out. He is not in for his own advantage you can see he is passionate at what he does, helping children, parents get the support they need. His heart is in it and that is why he is so successful. Thank you so much for your kind heart! read more

Unfortunately, I've needed legal counsel for almost all of my son's school years. I sought a second opinion with Jodi Bynder of Vanaman German when, during middle school, the administration tried to move our son to another school located a substantial distance from our home and away from his peers and teachers, and our attorney at the time told us we didn't have a case. When it became clear that it was time for a second opinion, I contacted the highly regarded Vanaman German Law Group (then Newman Aaronson Vanaman), who assessed that I needed an immediate review with someone with lots of experience. Enter Jodi Bynder. I have been with her ever since, and she has been by my side, giving me advice, fighting for my child's rights, and advocating for him as if he was her own. She is intelligent, with strong analytical and advocacy skills combined with a keen knowledge of educational law, helping me traverse the rocky landscape of special education. Jodi listens with a compassionate heart but executes with the acuity of an eagle. If you want to engage an attorney who's doing their job for all of the right reasons, then I can't recommend Jodi Bynder highly enough to advocate for you and your child. read more

Really nice attorneys although kind of hard to get a hold of they still make an effort to call u back. I have a meeting this Wednesday morning with the school district and I haven't heard from my attorney so I have no idea how to prepare for it but I trust that he will be there in hopefully call me the night before to prepare me for whatever I'm about to walk into. I'm grateful that they excepted our case either way and this attorney was chosen to do the excellent reputation of this office read more

Jodi Bynder has been our attorney for the past 7 years, advocating on behalf of our autistic daughter.  Over the years, she has patiently and kindly walked with us in navigating a complicated and arduous school system.   Jodi is an unbelievably skilled attorney with vast experience in special needs law.  She is an integral part of a law practice that is widely accepted as "the best in the city", a reputation that drew us to her practice.  This was our expectation (or maybe hope?)  when we first met her years ago and began working with her.  Now after many interactions with the school system, IEPs, mediations, etc. we can say unequivocally that Jodi's reputation was deserved as she has far exceeded our expectations.  On a personal level, Jodi is easy to talk to, approachable, and down to earth.  She just gets it. She is responsive and promptly answers all of our emails and phone calls.  Honestly we don't know where we would be if not for her help and support over the years. read more

Bryan is terrific. If I didn't suffer my own self imposed anxiety the process would be pretty painless. He took care of many details for me and I felt really good about what we accomplished. Because of him, my son can stay in the school he's finally thriving in. I highly recommend him! read more

When facing off against bureaucracy, if you hope to have any chance of success, you need a champion. David German of Newman Aaronson Vanaman LLP is exactly that...a champion. He took our case when others said we didn't have one. He took time to get to know our circumstances, our history and the challenges we have encountered getting help for our boy. He worked diligently to get us not only financial compensation but also set us up for a future in which our son will finally matter to the people who are supposed to be helping him. With great calm, dignity and grace, David guided us through a very stressful and emotional journey. My husband and I are happy to offer our most rigorous recommendation for this fine man and his excellent work. read more