Rebecca Sassouni

Overview

Rebecca Sassouni, Esq., PLLC (she/her)

Attorney for Students, Children, Families OF COUNSEL

Sassouni understands the nexus of relationships among children, families, schools, and emerging law. Her practice consists of advising, consulting, and representing students of all ages in public and private school settings, at meetings, at mediation, and hearings to navigate this complex web. She brings a compassionate, practical, economical, and consensus-minded approach to serve her clients’ goals. Rebecca coaches her clients to grow and advocate for themselves after her representation concludes. Long committed to community, families, and children, and to pro bono and public service, Sassouni is available to address civic groups, schools, Bar Associations, and SEPTAs.

 

EDUCATION

• Hofstra University School of Law
• Associate Editor, Hofstra Law Review
• Barnard College, Columbia University
• Cum laude, with Distinction in English Literature

CERTIFICATIONS

• Long Island Dispute Resolution Center
• New York State IEP (Individualized Education Plan) Facilitator

ADMISSIONS

• 1996 York State Second Department
• 2016 Supreme Court of the United States

PRACTICE AREAS

• Mediation
• Facilitation
• Special Education CSEs, IEPs, 504s
• Unilateral placement
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Bullying
• Academic Integrity: Code of Conduct Violations
• Residency
• Section 3214 Suspension Hearings
• Immunization

PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS

• March 2024 “Striking a Balance: Where Mental Health and Restorative Practices Intersect with Student Disciplinary Proceedings” Nassau Suffolk Academy of Law
• March 2023 Presenter, Nassau and Suffolk Academies of Law Annual School Law Conference “R-E-S-P-E-C-T!: The Legal Rights of LGBTQ+ Students”
• December 2022 “The Legal Rights of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students”, Nassau County Bar Association
• October 2020 “Special Education in Time of COVID-19” Nassau Bar
• December 2019 Presenter, Nassau and Suffolk Academies of Law Annual School Law Conference “Seeing If There is a Better Way: A Look into Student Discipline As We Head into 2020”
• July/August 2019 “Suspension of Students with Disabilities for Sexualized Utterances and Behaviors”
• June 2019 Presenter, National Business Institute,”Successfully Represent Your Client with an Understanding of All the Issues”
• December 2018 Presenter, Nassau and Suffolk Academies of Law Annual School Law Conference. “Special Education: Advantages and Disadvantages to Selecting Different Administrative Forums.”
• October 2018 “Students Suspended for Participation in Instagram Group”
• December 2017 Presenter, Nassau and Suffolk Academies of Law Annual School Law Conference “Endrew F. – SCOTUS Rules on the Requirement to Provide a FAPE: The Decision and its Impact from the Perspectives of a School Attorney and a Parent Advocate”
• July/August 2016 “NYSED Implements Pilot Program for IEP Facilitation”
• April 2016, Nassau County Bar Association, CLE “IEP Challenges: When is it OK to Look Outside the Box? Consideration of Prospective Evidence Beyond the Four Corners of the IEP”
• November 2014 Nassau County Bar Association, “Recent Significant Decisions from the Second Circuit Involving Special Education”

RECOGNITIONS/AWARDS

2024 Multicultural Council of New York Award
2023 State of Israel Bonds Lion of Judah Award
2021 Outstanding Women in Law, Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law
2019 NYSSBA NYS School Board Association Board Excellence 2019 GAIA Woman’s Essence 
2018 Hofstra University George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Alumni 
2018 Access to Justice Award
2015, 2010 Hadassah Woman of the Year
2014 Town of North Hempstead Women’s Roll of Honor

LEADERSHIP/PRO BONO/MEMBERSHIPS

2019-Present

• Lawyer Mentor, NCBA

2021-Present 

• President, GNPS Great Neck Public Schools  Board of Education 

2017-Present 

• Member, GNPS Board of Education 

2022-Present

• Co-Vice Chair Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA) Women in Law Committee

2017-2021

• President, SHAI, Sephardic Heritage Alliance, Inc.

2019-2022

• Co-Chair NCBA Education Law Committee 

2017-Present

• CLE Presenter, NCBA Education Law Committee; National Business Institute;  NCBA Committee on Community Relations and Public Education Speakers Bureau

2017 

• Fellow, Anti-Defamation League 

2014-2017 

• Trustee, Solomon Schechter Schools, Long Island