Special education rights attorney, Jennifer Chang, has been included in the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2023 “Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorneys” list. The Journal’s January 2023 custom publication profiles her work, accomplishments, and the successes she has achieved.
Los Angeles Business Journal
A richly diverse professional landscape, Los Angeles is home to a multitude of minority leaders, and the legal profession is no exception. The California State Bar reports that “having a diverse legal profession positively impacts the administration of justice, ensures fairness, and promotes the rule of law.” Honoring a select number of influential minority attorneys in the Los Angeles area, the LA Business Journal names attorneys with excellence in service to the minority community and demonstrate success in their field of law. All recipients were selected for inclusion in this publication from nomination materials by the editorial department and chosen based on “a demonstration of the impact made on the profession and on the Los Angeles community.”
Leader of Influence
Jennifer’s practice provides support and legal assistance to families who have nowhere else to turn, guiding families toward successful outcomes within the California public school system. She values self-advocacy and aims to help the families of students with special needs learn to advocate for themselves and their children while holding the school system accountable for providing equal educational opportunities.
“Growing up in a Korean American immigrant family inspired me to do more to help the families in my Korean American community and work to dismantle stigmas attached to non-visible disabilities that so often hold children back. I am a proud advocate for children and families who deserve access to free and appropriate public education.”
In addition to her legal work, Jennifer teaches a free virtual course for the Training Individuals for Grassroots Education Reform (TIGER) program, designed by the Learning Rights Law Center, to work with underserved families in Los Angeles and surrounding areas in California. Her beginner-level course introduces families to California’s special education system and related services including the individualized education plan (IEP) process, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and how to be involved in their child’s education. In an effort to reduce the informational divide between Korean immigrant families and the California public school system, her course is taught entirely in Korean.
“I get to share my knowledge with parents to equip them better to advocate for their child,” Jennifer says of her time spent teaching the TIGER program. “I am able to share my experiences in dealing with the districts on various issues. I am teaching parents the law, what their rights are, and that their child has a right to a free and appropriate education.”
The full list of Leaders of Influence: Minority Attorney honorees can be viewed here.
Congratulations, Jennifer!