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Are you the parent of a child whose disabilities or special needs are negatively affecting their experience and performance at school?

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Attorney Advocates for Special Education Students Serving Broward County</strong

Attorney Advocates for Special Education Students Serving Broward County

Attorney Advocates for Special Education Students Serving Broward County

My Child’s Advocate’s Mission

Our mission is to advocate for special needs students, promote their equal access to education, and ensure that they receive everything they need to reach their full potential.

As an experienced special education advocate, Jonathan Leiderman helps parents throughout Broward County secure appropriate services to address their child’s unique learning needs. Whether you’re navigating IEP meetings, 504 Plans, or disciplinary issues, Jonathan’s legal expertise and compassionate approach will support you throughout the special education process.

Recognized Excellence in South Florida

Jonathan S. Leiderman has been recognized by Super Lawyers, Avvo, and Best Lawyers for his exceptional work in South Florida. As a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), Jonathan stays at the forefront of special education advocacy, providing up-to-date and effective representation for your child.
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About My Child's Advocate

Children with disabilities and special needs have a guaranteed legal right to receive an education that meets their unique needs. The special education laws and process are quite complex and overwhelming. At My Child’s Advocate, we work with parents to ensure their children receive a free and appropriate education. We will advocate on your behalf to ensure your child is set up in an educational setting that allows them to make meaningful progress, receive the education they deserve, and reach their full potential.
We provide legal representation to parents of children with disabilities and special needs, advocate for their rights to appropriate educational services, and ensure they receive the necessary accommodations and support under the law.
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About Jonathan Leiderman

Jonathan is the founder and owner of My Child’s Advocate. Born in New Hyde Park, NY, and currently residing in Pembroke Pines, FL, Jonathan graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1991 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 1994 with a Juris Doctor Degree. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1994, and is also admitted to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. Prior to forming My Child’s Advocate, Jonathan was a founding shareholder of Leiderman Shelomith, P.A. and LSS Law.
Jonathan has spent decades advocating for others, particularly children. His journey to adopt a child as a single foster parent began in 2015. Over the years, Jonathan has cared for multiple children, overcoming challenges with compassion and determination. In 2022, he was granted concurrent custody of Alex and Tygan, siblings he has lovingly co-parented alongside their birth mother.Jonathan’s interest in special education law was sparked by two main things. First, through caring for children in the foster care system who had a variety of disabilities and special needs, and witnessing how those things were negatively affecting their experience and performance at school. Second, by his mother, Nancy, who taught for 30 years and shared her experiences.
Inspired by his experiences advocating for the educational needs of the children in his care, Jonathan transitioned his legal practice to focus on special education law. With 30 years of legal experience and a passion for advocating for kids, Jonathan is ready to fight for your child’s rights and be Your Child’s Advocate.
Read Jonathan's Compelling Story
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Recognized Excellence in South Florida

Jonathan Leiderman has been recognized by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, and other organizations for his exceptional work in South Florida. As a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA), Jonathan stays at the forefront of special education advocacy, providing up-to-date and effective representation for your child.
Get help today, so you can start referring to Jonathan Leiderman as My Child’s Advocate!
Get Help Now

What Inspired the Founding of the Firm?

Jonathan’s interest in special education law was sparked by two main things. First, through caring for children in the foster care system who had a variety of disabilities and special needs, and witnessing how those things were negatively affecting their experience and performance at school. Second, by his mother, Nancy, who taught for 30 years and shared her experiences.
The vast majority of kids who find themselves in the foster care system, through no fault of their own, are diagnosed with ADHD, mood, and anxiety disorders. Some take medications for these conditions, others do not. Often, these conditions and diagnosis affect a child’s behavior, ability to focus and learn, overall experience at school, and ability to perform at their best. These kids need modifications, accommodations, and additional support to help them perform at their best in school.
Some of the kids Jonathan cared for had IEPs in place. However, from Jonathan’s perspective, they were written in a very general way and contained only the bare minimum of available support. While goals appeared in these IEPs, they were often not SMART goals – they were not specific, they were not measurable, they were not achievable, they were not relevant, and they were not time-bound. It appeared that selections were simply being made from a drop-down menu of available items, and no creativity or outside-of-the-box thinking was being used.

What Inspired the Founding of the Firm?

Jonathan’s interest in special education law was sparked by two main things. First, through caring for children in the foster care system who had a variety of disabilities and special needs, and witnessing how those things were negatively affecting their experience and performance at school. Second, by his mother, Nancy, who taught for 30 years and shared her experiences.
The vast majority of kids who find themselves in the foster care system, through no fault of their own, are diagnosed with ADHD, mood, and anxiety disorders. Some take medications for these conditions, others do not. Often, these conditions and diagnosis affect a child’s behavior, ability to focus and learn, overall experience at school, and ability to perform at their best. These kids need modifications, accommodations, and additional support to help them perform at their best in school.

Some of the kids Jonathan cared for had IEPs in place. However, from Jonathan’s perspective, they were written in a very general way and contained only the bare minimum of available support. While goals appeared in these IEPs, they were often not SMART goals – they were not specific, they were not measurable, they were not achievable, they were not relevant, and they were not time-bound. It appeared that selections were simply being made from a drop-down menu of available items, and no creativity or outside-of-the-box thinking was being used.

By the time Jonathan began caring for his son, Alex, he had gained some valuable experience in the special education world. After realizing that Alex was struggling in all areas of school, Jonathan immediately requested that Alex undergo a psychological educational evaluation. That evaluation, as well as an examination by his pediatrician, led to a diagnosis of ADHD and ODD. Jonathan then successfully asked that an educational attorney be appointed for Alex. With her help, Jonathan had the state pay for speech therapy, trauma therapy, and a tutor for Alex. They also met with his school’s ESE team and put an IEP in place. That was Jonathan’s first experience attending an IEP meeting. He quickly felt the frustration that his mother had felt during her career. It seemed like the participants were just going through the motions. The goals put in place in the IEP were very general and not easily measurable. The person in the room who knew Alex the best was his kindergarten teacher. However, she participated the least. Wouldn’t Alex’s teacher and school be looking out for his best interests? Jonathan’s mom told him that she often felt like she was attending IEP meetings with her hands tied behind her back. While it is true that a student’s general education teacher knows the student best, Nancy told Jonathan that she was at the bottom of the totem pole, and reminded by administration before every IEP meeting that funding limitations would be the largest determining factor affecting whether a requested accommodation or modification would be put into place or not. She walked every parent out of the room at the conclusion of each IEP meeting she attended knowing that the parent was leaving with the false impression that the school was offering and doing everything possible for their child, but that if she had her way more would have been put in place. Funding would seemingly play a large role in preventing these children from reaching their full potential. That didn’t sit well with Jonathan, who was already experiencing something similar in dealing with the dependency court system. He knew he could do more.
Jonathan founded My Child’s Advocate so parents could find both an advocate and an attorney in one place and in one person. As the parent of a child with special needs who has been struggling in school for years, Jonathan is the firm’s ideal client. He looks forward to working with you and your family, and will be so honored when you can refer to him as “My Child’s Advocate!”
When Alex’s dependency case came to an end, his educational attorney was released from her appointment. Alex was improving, but he needed more support. Jonathan searched for a local educational attorney to hire but couldn’t find one. Instead, he hired a non-attorney educational advocate. With her help, Alex has received additional support and accommodations, and his IEP has been rewritten to include nothing but SMART goals. However, Jonathan has often wondered where he would turn for help in the event Alex’s school failed to comply with his IEP, since Alex’s educational advocate is not a lawyer.
When Alex’s dependency case came to an end, his educational attorney was released from her appointment. Alex was improving, but he needed more support. Jonathan searched for a local educational attorney to hire but couldn’t find one. Instead, he hired a non-attorney educational advocate. With her help, Alex has received additional support and accommodations, and his IEP has been rewritten to include nothing but SMART goals. However, Jonathan has often wondered where he would turn for help in the event Alex’s school failed to comply with his IEP, since Alex’s educational advocate is not a lawyer.
Jonathan founded My Child’s Advocate so parents could find both an advocate and an attorney in one place and in one person. As the parent of a child with special needs who has been struggling in school for years, Jonathan is the firm’s ideal client. He looks forward to working with you and your family, and will be so honored when you can refer to him as “My Child’s Advocate!”

What Inspired the Founding of the Firm?

Jonathan’s interest in special education law was sparked by two main things. First, through caring for children in the foster care system who had a variety of disabilities and special needs, and witnessing how those things were negatively affecting their experience and performance at school. Second, by his mother, Nancy, who taught for 30 years and shared her experiences.
The vast majority of kids who find themselves in the foster care system, through no fault of their own, are diagnosed with ADHD, mood, and anxiety disorders. Some take medications for these conditions, others do not. Often, these conditions and diagnosis affect a child’s behavior, ability to focus and learn, overall experience at school, and ability to perform at their best. These kids need modifications, accommodations, and additional support to help them perform at their best in school.
Some of the kids Jonathan cared for had IEPs in place. However, from Jonathan’s perspective, they were written in a very general way and contained only the bare minimum of available support. While goals appeared in these IEPs, they were often not SMART goals – they were not specific, they were not measurable, they were not achievable, they were not relevant, and they were not time-bound. It appeared that selections were simply being made from a drop-down menu of available items, and no creativity or outside-of-the-box thinking was being used.
By the time Jonathan began caring for his son, Alex, he had gained some valuable experience in the special education world. After realizing that Alex was struggling in all areas of school, Jonathan immediately requested that Alex undergo a psychological educational evaluation. That evaluation, as well as an examination by his pediatrician, led to a diagnosis of ADHD and ODD. Jonathan then successfully asked that an educational attorney be appointed for Alex. With her help, Jonathan had the state pay for speech therapy, trauma therapy, and a tutor for Alex. They also met with his school’s ESE team and put an IEP in place. That was Jonathan’s first experience attending an IEP meeting. He quickly felt the frustration that his mother had felt during her career. It seemed like the participants were just going through the motions. The goals put in place in the IEP were very general and not easily measurable. The person in the room who knew Alex the best was his kindergarten teacher. However, she participated the least. Wouldn’t Alex’s teacher and school be looking out for his best interests? Jonathan’s mom told him that she often felt like she was attending IEP meetings with her hands tied behind her back. While it is true that a student’s general education teacher knows the student best, Nancy told Jonathan that she was at the bottom of the totem pole, and reminded by administration before every IEP meeting that funding limitations would be the largest determining factor affecting whether a requested accommodation or modification would be put into place or not. She walked every parent out of the room at the conclusion of each IEP meeting she attended knowing that the parent was leaving with the false impression that the school was offering and doing everything possible for their child, but that if she had her way more would have been put in place. Funding would seemingly play a large role in preventing these children from reaching their full potential. That didn’t sit well with Jonathan, who was already experiencing something similar in dealing with the dependency court system. He knew he could do more.
When Alex’s dependency case came to an end, his educational attorney was released from her appointment. Alex was improving, but he needed more support. Jonathan searched for a local educational attorney to hire but couldn’t find one. Instead, he hired a non-attorney educational advocate. With her help, Alex has received additional support and accommodations, and his IEP has been rewritten to include nothing but SMART goals. However, Jonathan has often wondered where he would turn for help in the event Alex’s school failed to comply with his IEP, since Alex’s educational advocate is not a lawyer.
Jonathan founded My Child’s Advocate so parents could find both an advocate and an attorney in one place and in one person. As the parent of a child with special needs who has been struggling in school for years, Jonathan is the firm’s ideal client. He looks forward to working with you and your family, and will be so honored when you can refer to him as “My Child’s Advocate!”

Every Child Deserves A Quality Education Let's Fight for Your Child's Rights.

My Child’s Advocate is dedicated to supporting diverse families in navigating the complexities of special education. Parents of children with special needs—whether single moms, single dads, married couples, foster parents, or non-traditional families—often face unique challenges in securing the best education for their children. Jonathan S. Leiderman is determined to defend your child’s education rights in Broward County.
Take the first step towards securing the best education for your child:

Phone Number

(954) 247-8220

Email

jsl@mychildsadvocate.net

Schedule a No-Cost Strategy Session

Our Values

Passion:

We are passionate about Your Child. We are passionate about helping your child reach their full potential and not letting bureaucracy and schools interfere with that goal.

Integrity:

We are consistently honest, open, ethical, genuine, and fair. People trust us to adhere to our word.

Determined:

We will not allow obstacles to stop us from obtaining the best results for Your Child. We are extremely motivated, and have a very strong desire to help our clients achieve their goals.

Optimism:

We try to see the bright side of things, and we expect the best possible outcome. We believe we have the ability to make great things happen for Your Child.

Understanding:

We are compassionate and will listen actively to understand what other people feel, where they are coming from, and imagine ourselves in their situation.

Respect:

We show deep respect for all people, inside and outside our firm. We treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves.

Collaboration:

We work well with others to accomplish tasks and goals. We are committed to working together as a team to create the best results for Your Child.

Hardworking:

We are reliable, responsible, and committed to success. We will keep our promises and do what we say we are going to do.

Curiosity:

We are always looking for new ways to improve, and we think outside of the box when suggesting ways to improve Your Child’s life. We stay current on new laws and developments that will help you and Your Child.

Why Choose My Child's Advocate for Special Education Advocacy in Broward County?

Firsthand, Personal Experience in Special Education

As a parent of a child with disabilities, Jonathan Leiderman intimately understands the challenges families face in securing essential services. His firsthand experience drives his unwavering commitment to helping every child reach their full potential.

Lifelong Champion for Children

Jonathan’s proven track record demonstrates his enduring dedication to children’s educational rights. His passionate commitment means persistent advocacy for every child until they receive the support and services necessary for their success.

30 Years of Legal Experience

With three decades of legal experience, Jonathan offers advocacy that extends beyond standard representation. His background enables him to advocate and litigate as an attorney. That experience enables Jonathan to see potential legal issues that a non-attorney wouldn’t see, or be aware of. A child can be negatively affected by legal options not being presented.

Every Child Deserves A Quality Education.

Let's Fight for Your Child's Rights.

My Child’s Advocate is dedicated to supporting diverse families in navigating the complexities of special education. Parents of children with special needs—whether single moms, single dads, married couples, foster parents, or non-traditional families—often face unique challenges in securing the best education for their children. Jonathan S. Leiderman is determined to defend your child’s education rights in Broward County.

Take the first step towards securing the best education for your child:

Phone Number

(954) 247-8220

Email

jsl@mychildsadvocate.net

Get Help Today

Serving Special Needs Students in These Broward County Communities

My Child’s Advocate provides comprehensive special education advocacy services throughout Broward County, Florida. Jonathan S. Leiderman will assist parents and students in navigating the special education process throughout Broward County. His services extend to the following communities:

  • Coconut Creek
  • Cooper City
  • Coral Springs
  • Dania Beach
  • Davie
  • Deerfield Beach
  • Fort Lauderdale
  • Hallandale Beach
  • Hillsboro Beach
  • Hollywood
  • Lauderdale-By-The-Sea
  • Lauderdale Lakes
  • Lauderhill
  • Lazy Lake
  • Lighthouse Point
  • Margate
  • Miramar
  • North Lauderdale
  • Oakland Park
  • Parkland
  • Pembroke Park
  • Pembroke Pines
  • Plantation
  • Pompano Beach
  • Sea Ranch Lakes
  • Southwest Ranches
  • Sunrise
  • Tamarac
  • West Park
  • Weston
  • Wilton Manors

No matter where you are in Broward County, Jonathan S. Leiderman from My Child’s Advocate can support your family’s special education needs.My Child’s Advocate provides comprehensive special education advocacy services throughout Broward County, Florida. Jonathan S. Leiderman will assist parents and students in navigating the special education process throughout Broward County. His services extend to the following communities:

Get Special Education Help in My Location
Read Jonathan's Compelling Story
Schedule a No-Cost Strategy Session with Jonathan S. Leiderman
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Address

2699 Stirling Road, Suite C401, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Address

Stirling Road, Suite C401, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Phone Number

(954) 247-8220

Email

jsl@mychildsadvocate.net

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