Jennifer Lynn Swanson
Managing Attorney 

Meet Jennifer Swanson

Jennifer Lynn Swanson is a dedicated special needs attorney and the Managing Attorney at Swanson Law, PLLC, providing legal representation and advocacy for families navigating special education law throughout Texas. Bringing nearly a decade of experience as a public school special education teacher, Jennifer offers an insider's understanding of the ARD/IEP process, school district operations, and educational accommodation frameworks.

Before earning her law degree, Jennifer taught special education in Texas, working with children across a broad spectrum of abilities. That experience — the ARD/IEP process, the inner workings of a school district, what actually happens in the classroom — shapes how she practices law today. She bridges the gap between complex legal requirements and practical, classroom-level reality, representing families in matters involving Special Education & Related Services, 504 Plans, early childhood intervention, and long-term transition planning.

Jennifer has experienced firsthand the true power of education. Initially an unremarkable student, she was inspired to academic achievement by a high school math teacher who insisted students write quotations at the top of their math journals: "Good, better, best. Success never rests until good be better, and better be best!" — Mother Goose. That teacher's belief in her stuck. As Jennifer puts it: "My teacher thought I was smart, so I was!"

After high school, Jennifer attended Baylor University, earning a B.A. in History. Before law school, she spent nearly a decade teaching special education in public schools, instructing children across a spectrum of disabilities and receiving specialized training in dyslexia instruction.

Jennifer's legal career has been devoted entirely to representing families of children with support needs attending Texas public schools. She often tells clients that if she ever found herself unable to work as a special-education, parent-side attorney, she'd go back into the classroom. Her current motto: "There is so much transformative power in a good IEP!"

Legal Expertise & Practice Areas

Jennifer's practice is strictly focused on advocate-driven representation for families seeking tailored educational and developmental support for their children. Her core areas of focus include:

• Special Education & Related Services: Guiding families through the Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee process and Individualized Education Program (IEP) development to secure required accommodations and specialized instruction.

• Section 504 Plans & Accommodations: Advising parents on eligibility, evaluation, and implementation of 504 plans for students requiring physical or learning accommodations.

• Early Childhood Intervention & Special Education: Assisting families with young children entering the special education pipeline to ensure timely evaluations and foundational service delivery.

• Testing & Independent Educational Evaluations: Helping parents secure comprehensive testing and independent evaluations to accurately identify their child's unique needs.

• Special Needs & Estate Planning: Assisting families with long-term security considerations, including guardianship alternatives, supportive decision-making arrangements, and post-secondary transition strategies such as Eighteen Plus Programs.

• LGBTQ+ Planning: Helping LGBTQ+ individuals and families navigate legal planning with sensitivity to their unique needs.

• College Docs: Preparing families for the legal transition to adulthood, including the documentation students need as they head to college.

Published Work

Jennifer co-authored "A Transformative Year for Students with Disabilities" with Kevin P. Shields, offering insight into the evolving legal landscape for students with disabilities in Texas.