August 2019
The MLO Minute
As our firm celebrates our new name of McAndrews, Mehalick, Connolly, Hulse, Ryan, and Marone, we are spotlighting our named partners and celebrating their numerous achievements. These individuals are highly accomplished in our profession and are deeply valued in our firm as a result of their long and successful tenure in our legal family. Previously known as “McAndrews Law Offices, P. C.,” the firm is nationally recognized in the fields of special education, special needs planning, estate planning, and elder law. The firm has become one of the largest law firms in suburban Philadelphia, and also maintains offices in Scranton, Wyomissing, Wilmington, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Alexandria (Virginia), and Georgetown (Delaware).
Michael Connolly: As stated by Dennis McAndrews, the Founder and Managing Partner of our firm, “Mike Connolly has proven himself to be an exceptional leader in the field of special education and is recognized in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the mid-Atlantic region as an outstanding attorney whose skills are at the highest level of our profession. Michael assists in the strategic handling of our cases and the management of our Special Education Department with collegiality and professionalism, and he is universally trusted and respected by all stakeholders in the field of special education.”
Our firm’s CEO, Katie Ryan, states that “Michael is an outstanding mentor, colleague, and friend to everyone in our firm. In addition to his oversight duties as the Supervising Partner for Special Education, Michael handles his own caseload and assists with our federal court litigation with skill, insight, and a complete understanding of the specialized field in which we work. We (and our clients) are fortunate indeed to have Michael as the Supervisor of our Special Education Department.”
With twenty years of experience, Michael represents parents of children with special needs in a variety of education matters at administrative hearings and state and federal court. He has assisted parents in disputes involving their public school related to issues such as eligibility and identification, programming and placement, tuition reimbursement, discipline, bullying, and discrimination. Michael frequently lectures across the state and nationally to parents, educators, and attorneys on special education and other education law related topics.
Heather Hulse: Dennis McAndrews states that “Heather has been an outstanding member of our office since 1999, when she first began working for the firm as a law student while simultaneously pursuing a second Master’s degree in Psychology. After law school (and obtaining her second Master’s Degree in Psychology), Heather immediately stepped into a leading role in our firm representing children with disabilities and their families. From the start, Heather has handled special education cases with a high level of professional skill, insight, and compassion for the children and families we serve. After a few years in our Berwyn office, Heather sought to open an office in her hometown of Scranton, and Heather quickly developed a substantial clientele in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Heather promptly began representation of these families with her usual degree of alacrity and competence. Heather has operated our Scranton office for over a decade and has developed a reputation among parents, advocacy groups, hearing officers, and judges which is second to none. We are grateful every day that Heather is a member of our team.”
CEO Katie Ryan indicates that “Upon beginning my role as CEO at our firm, it became immediately apparent to me that Heather is a magnificent resource for children and families, and brings tremendous skill and dedication to her work. Every attribute that is necessary to be a successful special education attorney is part of Heather’s toolbox, as she possesses a strong understanding of education, psychological testing, and litigation strategy. She is a frequent resource to other attorneys in our office, who lean on her for her substantial wisdom and invaluable experience.”
