Education is not preparation for life;

education is life itself.

~ John Dewey

There is no path

of least resistance

when you are raising child

with special needs.

~Anonymous

Everybody is a genius.

But if you judge a fish

by its ability to climb a tree,

it will live its whole life

believing that it is stupid.

~Albert Einstein

Every child has a different

learning style and pace.

Each child is unique,

not only capable of learning

but also capable

of succeeding.

~Robert John Meehan

If a child cannot learn in the way we teach...

we must teach in a way the child can learn.

~Ivar Lovaas

welcome to kaeser law firm

Kaeser Law Firm (KLF) is a uniquely modern law firm devoted to helping you plan to achieve the best quality of life for your special needs child. KLF is dedicated to advocating for the education rights of children of all ages with disabilities and planning for the future of children with special needs by helping families craft efficient, cost effective plans that address preserving assets for their loved ones. We believe that every child deserves dignity and the same base of opportunity to achieve and make meaningful education and social gains at school. We believe in helping children with special needs and their families save for the future while preserving eligibility for public benefits. The purpose of KLF is to help parents & children ensure that school districts place and keep students on the right educational pathway through non-adversarial, collaborative communication. However, because conflicts do arise and public resources are limited, KLF can also be there to aggressively protect your child’s civil rights; be it through mediation, negotiation or litigation. KLF will also be there with the sophisticated tools and guidance to help design personalized strategies for special needs planning. KLF recognizes that every child is different and your child will receive the respect, individualized analysis, advice, compassion and unique legal assistance to meet their needs.

kelly d. kaeser, esq.

Attorney & Autism Dad

Kelly Kaeser (pronounced, “Kay-zur”), is a private practice attorney and parent of a child with special needs with a passion for protecting the education rights of special needs children in their schools and planning for the future availability of your disabled loved one’s financial resources.

Kelly has over 21 years’ prior experience as a practicing attorney; first as a civil litigator in the Los Angeles court system, then as the General Counsel to a multi-million dollar financial services company. Mr. Kaeser’s personal journey with his second daughter, born in 2008, ultimately brought him to the path of special education law and special needs planning.

Like most parents, finding out his child was diagnosed with a disability was numbing and the daunting world of disability rights was practically unfamiliar before the diagnosis. In addition to all of the new medical jargon, were legal terms like IDEA, FAPE, IEP and the Lanterman Act. After immersing himself in the relevant law for his daughter’s benefit, it was through various support groups that Kelly began meeting other families desperately in need of help understanding and translating the administrative actions and the Federal and State laws that ensure the rights of children with disabilities and form the purpose and systems of the special education system. Kelly soon jumped headfirst into protecting the legal rights of children with disabilities, left the corporate world and ultimately founded the Kaeser Law firm, dedicated to representing children with disabilities and helping other parents and families navigate through the process of obtaining a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and helping parents understand the legal instruments used to protect assets and preserve eligibility for government programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and MediCal.

Kelly works to share with others what he has learned and empower parents who are overwhelmed by the IEP process, feel short changed by the school district, are unsure of the options available or having difficulty obtaining the appropriate education for their child as they are legally entitled. Kelly also works with families and individuals across all asset levels and strives to help provide a peace of mind by designing a cost effective strategy to maintain your child’s financial well-being and his or her long-term eligibility for government assistance.

Kelly is an attorney member of the Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates (COPAA), attorney member of the California Association for Parent-Child Advocacy (CAPCA), an attorney member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP), California Bar Association, Ventura Bar Association, Board of Directors for the Autism Society of Ventura County and International and American Mensa. He received his Juris Doctor from Santa Barbara College of Law after attending the University of California, Los Angeles. Kelly is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in the State of California.

understanding klf services

KLF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

  • Write letters to school districts
  • obtain your child’s school files
  • request an evaluation or an IEP meeting
  • prepare for the annual assessment or initial IEP meeting, discuss and draft proposed goals of the IEP
  • referrals for evaluations and services
  • as an advocate by attending an IEP meeting with you
  • review evaluations and IEP forms before they are signed
  • research a legal issue that applies to your child’s situation
  • assess the strength of your case
  • request prepare and attend Mediation
  • through representation in due process hearings
  • through representation in post hearing resolutions including representation in California state and Federal courts
More about SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES...

KLF SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING

  • Protect your child’s public benefits
  • plan for a disabled loved one’s future
  • avoid the stress and uncertainty of not having a legal plan in place
  • provide an ongoing system for advocacy
  • plan for caregiving needs
  • explain the differences and benefits of the different types of Special Needs Trusts
  • connect with a nonprofit pooled special needs trust
  • custom prepare a Special Needs Trust and memorandum of intent
  • discuss how best to fund your Special Needs Trust
  • understand what a Special Needs Trust can and cannot pay for
  • understand the newly created CalABLE accounts and how they may a complement a Special Needs Trust
  • plan for anticipated settlement assets, gifts or inheritance
  • craft an Advance Health Care Directive
  • provide Powers of Attorney
  • thoughtfully consider the necessity of Conservatorship/Guardianship
  • review your current estate plan to discuss specialized issues relating your special needs child that may have been overlooked
More about SPECIAL NEEDS PLANNING...