Biography of Edwin Egelsee

Edwin Egelsee is an attorney with a genuine commitment to provide high quality legal representation to children. As the most powerless victims in our society, Mr. Egelsee believes that children should be afforded the strongest representation. Mr. Egelsee is fluent in both English and Spanish and takes great pride in providing representation to families who primary language is Spanish.

Mr. Egelsee’s dedication to protecting the rights of children began in college while attending UCLA. He was employed as a teacher’s assistant for two years at a Non-Public School named Smartstart. There, he assisted children with various learning disabilities, Autism, speech and language impairments, Down syndrome, ADHD and fetal alcohol syndrome. At Smartstart Mr. Egelsee was so inspired by children battling disabilities that he decided to pursue a career protecting their rights. He attended Whittier Law School and was a fellow of the Center for Children’s Rights. He interned at the Public Law Center in Santa Ana and held a judicial externship with the Presiding Judge of Juvenile Courts in Los Angeles, Michael Nash.

Mr. Egelsee began advocating for children with special needs at the Law Offices of Kathleen Loyer. He stayed with this firm over three years where he provided representation at IEP meetings, mediations, due process hearings and state and federal courts. Mr. Egelsee took part in the special education panel developed by the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Courts of Orange County, Robert Hutson.

Mr. Egelsee was then hired by the Alliance for Children’s Rights; a non profit organization in Los Angeles which focuses on providing representation to children in the foster care system. He was hired to begin, develop, and supervise the Special Education Project. At the Alliance, Mr. Egelsee provided direct representation as well as conducted workshops for parents, foster parents, relative caregivers, social workers and advocates. Mr. Egelsee took part in the annual National Adoption Day where almost three thousand children in foster care are adopted across the nation. Mr. Egelsee spent almost two years with the Alliance and earned an outstanding reputation for defending the rights of children with special needs.

In 2005, Mr. Egelsee decided to join forces with colleague and fellow special education attorney, Danielle Augustin. Mr. Egelsee provides representation in all areas of special education including, IEP meetings, resolution sessions, mediations, due process hearings, state and federal courts. Mr. Egelsee also handles disciplinary matters involving involuntary transfers, suspensions, and expulsions. Finally, Mr. Egelsee represents children in civil matters that have been injured on school campuses or by school personnel.

Mr. Egelsee is a zealous and impassioned child advocate which will defend the rights of children that have been violated by all available means necessary. He provides trainings in the area of special education for the Court Appointed Special Advocates, (“CASA”) at the Los Angeles County Children’s Court. He is appointed as co-counsel in dependency matters for the purposes of protecting the educational interests of foster children in Los Angeles. He continues to provide trainings and workshops for such agencies as the ALMA Family Center and Grandparents As Parents (“GAP”). He has conducted MCLE trainings in Special Education Law with the Los Angeles County Barrister’s Bar Association to attorneys and judges. Mr. Egelsee was a featured presenter at the 9th Annual Partnership Conference for Children held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. There, he gave a presentation entitled “Unwarranted Disciplinary Actions Towards Children With Special Needs in the Foster Care System.” In April of 2005, Mr. Egelsee appeared on a television show called, "34 A Su Lado (34 At Your Side)."  He appeared as a featured panel expert on special education matters. Moreover, Mr. Egelsee actively speaks at local high schools to children about personal development.