BERWYN, PA — Michael Connolly, Esq., Supervising Partner of The Special Education Department at McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse and Ryan P.C. (MLO), has added another esteemed feather to his cap. The prominent lawyer has been notably designated a winner of ‘Distinguished Leaders’ in The Legal Intelligencer’s 2024 Pennsylvania Legal Awards.
The formidable accolade is well-known in legal circles for recognizing high-achieving legal professionals who have demonstrated clear leadership and impressive results over the past year. Selected by Law.com and The Legal Intelligencer editors and journalists, the award process was open to the entire Delaware and Pennsylvania legal communities. The illustrious winners and finalists will be celebrated at the Pennsylvania Legal Awards dinner reception, due to be held at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on May 15th, 2024.
In a career spanning over twenty-five years, Connolly’s unsurpassed dedication to the rights of children with disabilities and their families has been consistently recognized. As MLO’s Special Education Department Supervisory Partner, Connolly has fought for the rights of families dealing with various educational matters in both state and federal court as well as at administrative hearings. His work includes assisting parents navigating public or charter school disputes, encompassing issues like eligibility, identification, programming and placement, reimbursement of tuition, discipline, bullying, discrimination, and injuries.
His peers at MLO are equally impressed by his relentless pursuit of justice. “We are extraordinarily fortunate to have Michael Connolly as a Supervising Partner and are grateful for the daily opportunity to learn from his wealth of experience defending the rights of those with disabilities,” the firm states.
Connolly, a shareholder at McAndrews Law Offices, was appointed the Supervising Partner of Special Education in 2018. He educates parents, educators, and fellow attorneys alike across the state and nation on matters of special education and related law topics. An active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Services for Exceptional Children Committee since 1998, he served as Vice Chair from 2002 to 2003, and Chair from 2003 to 2006. In these roles, he actively shaped the organization’s position on legal matters impacting students with disabilities, as well as planned one of the state’s premier legal conferences in the area of special education.
Connolly’s career in education law commenced in the District of Columbia as an associate representing parents in special education matters. Later, he became a partner in a Bucks County, Pennsylvania law firm where he spent around a decade representing school districts across the state. Prior to joining McAndrews Law Offices, Mr. Connolly was a founding partner at an education law firm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where his seven years were dedicated to representing parents and students in educational matters.
Berks County native Connolly, presently residing in East Norriton with his wife, has been a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association since 1998. He acquired his Juris Doctor, Cum Laude from The District of Columbia School of Law in 1998, post earning his B.A. in Political Science from Thomas Moore College in 1994.
The 2024 Pennsylvania Legal Awards ‘Distinguished Leader’ title is but the latest commendation for this stalwart advocate of special education. His unwavering commitment and compassion to those he serves provide a beacon of leadership within the legal profession and amplify the difference one individual can make when armed with law, knowledge, and a true sense of justice.
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