McAndrews Law Offices : About Us
McAndrews Law Offices, P.C.

About Us...

For over 25 years, McAndrews Law Offices has been committed to providing exceptional legal services in our areas of practice. The genesis of our firm began in 1982 when Dennis C. McAndrews, the firm’s founder, began his private practice of law.

The early years of his practice focused upon disability law and estate planning for persons with disabilities, much of which developed from the expertise Mr. McAndrews obtained in serving as Executive Director and Staff Counsel to two Pennsylvania Senate Committees which investigated the system of care for disabled persons in Pennsylvania.

Work in the field of special education was subsequently added to the practice, and in 1989 Mr. McAndrews was appointed as a part-time special education hearing officer, a post in which he served for over 15 years. The reputation of the firm was enhanced in the 1980s by Mr. McAndrews teaching appointments at Villanova University and Immaculata University, and he continues to teach at Villanova University to the present day.

From 1982 to 1995, Mr. McAndrews also served as a member of the Office of the District Attorney of Delaware County, and held the posts of Deputy District Attorney for Special Prosecutions and Deputy District Attorney for Law and Appeals. He resigned in 1995 to devote himself full-time to the private practice of law.

In February, 1996, The District Attorneys Office asked Mr. McAndrews to return to that office to work as a special prosecutor in the trial of John Eleuthere duPont, widely regarded as the wealthiest murder defendant in American history. After the successful prosecution, conviction, and sentencing of the defendant in that matter, Mr. McAndrews returned to the full-time private practice of law, and the growth of the current practice began to take shape.

Over the next decade, an array of talented attorneys and support staff have been added every year, and today form a highly collaborative and collegial team of professionals who enjoy their work, and who share a passion for serving the important needs of our clients every day.

For example, Heidi B. Konkler-Goldsmith is one of the most experienced and accomplished education law attorneys in Pennsylvania. Tanya Alvarado worked for the Disability Law Project and handled discrimination cases before coming to our firm. Heather Hulse combines two Master Degrees in psychology with her law degree and with her extensive experience in Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts and Special Education. Lesley Mehalick possesses a Masters in Tax Law and extensive experience in Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts and Civil Litigation. Jennifer Bradley has quickly established herself as an accomplished special education attorney, using her extensive litigation skills obtained in seven years as an Assistant District Attorney in Berks County and Dean M. Beer recently joined us from the Philadelphia Public Defender's office with over two decades of legal experience.

The biographies and resumes of our attorneys and our incomparable support staff are available on this web site. The relevant experience, education, training, and commitment of our staff are, we believe, unmatched in any firm in the United States which practices in our areas of specialty. Each member of our staff possesses invaluable legal and professional experience and training, as well as a commitment of service to the clients we represent.

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Our Commitment to Service

Over the past 25 years, McAndrews Law Offices have developed a reputation for providing services to persons in need across the Delaware Valley.  Our work on behalf of individuals with disabilities frequently affords us with opportunities to obtain appropriate educational programs and access to public services which families were unable to obtain on their own. In many cases, we have provided pro bono services or representation under which this office took substantial risk in accepting legal matters for individuals who were unable to pay legal fees. To the extent reasonably possible, McAndrews Law Offices assists individuals with unique personal and financial needs to obtain an enhanced quality of life.

Our office also provides dozens of informational seminars at no charge every year to interested members of the public.

McAndrews Law Offices is committed to providing community service in Pennsylvania in a variety of means. In addition to our extensive programs of providing pro bono and low cost legal services in selected cases, we offer a wide range of seminars to community groups and parent groups to provide public education with regard to special education, estate planning, and special needs planning.

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  • Upcoming MLO Seminars! Click Here for more information and to Register.
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Recipients Will Receive Cost of Living Increase in January 2012. Beginning in January 2012, the nation’s Social Security recipients will get a 3.6% cost of living increase in payments. Thus, the maximum Supplemental Security Income (SSI) monthly payment will increase from $674 per individual for 2011 to $698 per month per individual in 2012. Please note that the $2,000 resource limit for SSI recipients is not increasing. For further information on public benefits, please call McAndrews Law Offices.
  • Federal Court voids Pennsylvania’s restrictions on Pooled Special Needs Trusts in Lewis v. Alexander Read More →
  • Important Court case for children with Autism and their families Read More →
  • The current budget cycles in federal, state, and local governments may affect all students in special education. See our full discussion regarding this important issue. Read More →
  • Learn About The Special Needs Tax Credit Read More →
  • PDE Guidelines for Effective Behavioral Support Read More →
  • Learn More About Our Speakers Bureau: McAndrews Law Offices have speakers available for your organization. We provide dozens of FREE seminars and presentations each year to relevant organizations in the field of Special Education, Estate Planning, and Special Needs Trusts. Click Here for More Information →
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