Dr. Dodds is a member of the firm’s Education Law group. His practice focuses on special education law, pupil services, and general school law. He serves as solicitor for public school districts and has advised and represented public and charter schools in special education matters from the administrative hearing level through the federal courts, as well as provided guidance on a wide range of student issues, including discipline and residency.

In 1998, Dr. Dodds received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Hahnemann University (now Drexel University) with concentrations in the treatment of child and adolescent disorders and forensic assessment. Prior to entering the practice of law, Dr. Dodds provided therapy and assessment services in residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children, Head Start preschool programs, and an adult addictions clinic.

Dr. Dodds lectures to attorneys and school officials at conferences sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Lehigh University Education Law Conference. He has published articles on domestic relations issues, drug addiction treatment, and served as an editor for the supplement to Ziskins’s Coping with Psychiatric and Psychological Testimony, a nationally recognized treatise. He serves as a lecturer in for the Immaculata University Psychology Pre-Doctoral Intern Consortium. A magna cum laude graduate of Hamilton College, Dr. Dodds received his law degree, magna cum laude, from Villanova University where he was Order of the Coif and an editor of the Law Review.

Representative Matters

• Represented school districts and charter schools in negotiations with parents and attorneys resulting in positive outcomes for districts and children in regular and special education settings.
• In-serviced administrators, teachers, and other special education service providers in areas of special education compliance and strategy.
• Represented school districts and charter schools in administrative due process hearings concerning a variety of issues including compensatory education, tuition reimbursement and discipline under the IDEA, alleged Section 504 violations, and gifted issues.
• Successfully represented school districts in appeals of special education matters to the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Presentation

• “Special Education and the IEP: Working with Experts to Develop IEP Content – And Resolving Disputes Along the Way.” Moderator. American Bar Association 5^th National Conference: Disability Issues in Employment and Education Law. Philadelphia, PA. June 2018.
• “Divorced Parents and the IDEA – From Evaluations and IEPs, to Field Trips and School Events.” Michael Connolly, Esq., Sharon Montonaye, Esq., and Liliana Yazno-Bartle, Esq., co-presenters. Pennsylvania Bar Institute. July 21, 2016.
• “IDEA Eligibility: Key Principles.” Elisa Hyman, Esq., co-presenter. Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium. June 21, 2016.
• “Calculating Compensatory Education: The High Cost of FAPE Failure.” Elisa Hyman, Esq., co-presenter. Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium. June 21, 2016.
• “Divorced Parents and the IDEA.” Michael Connolly, Esq., Sharon Montonaye, Esq., and Liliana Yazno-Bartle, Esq., co-presenters. 19th Annual Exceptional Children Conference. Pennsylvania Bar Institute. October 26, 2015.
• “The New DSM-V: Changes You Need to Know for Your School Law Practice.” Charles W. Jelly, Esq., co-presenter. 17th Annual Exceptional Children Conference. Pennsylvania Bar Institute. October 2013.
• “IDEA Eligibility: The Crucial Components.” Reactor. Mark Weber, Esq., presenter. Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium. June 2013.
• “Hot Topic: Transition.” Reactor. Mark Weber, Esq., presenter. Lehigh University Special Education Law Symposium. June 2013.
• “DSM-5 Changes.” Dr. Judith Miller, co-presenter. Autism: Fitting the Pieces Together. Pennsylvania Bar Institute. June 2013.
• “Due Process Arguments: Things We Have Heard Lately.” Andrew Faust, Esq., Gabrielle Sereni, Esq., co-presenters. 15th Annual Eastern Pennsylvania Special Education Administrators Conference. Hershey, PA. October 2011.
• “Mental Health Services in the Schools: Answering the ‘W’ Questions.” Hillary Freeman, Esq, Natalie M. Habert, Esq. co-presenters. 39th Annual Special Education Law Conference. Lehigh University. May 2011.
• “Introduction to Special Education.” Michael Connolly, co-presenter. 13th Annual Exceptional Children Conference. Pennsylvania Bar Institute. October 2009.
• “Charter School Special Education – ‘FAPE Lite?’” David Talheimer, Esq, Jim Newcomer, Ph.D., co-presenters. 37th Annual Special Education Law Conference. Lehigh University. May 2009.