Managing Attorney, Children at Risk Unit,
Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.

Attorney Agata Raszczyk-Lawska is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and Quinnipiac University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Connecticut and New York. She acts as the managing attorney of the Children-at-Risk (CAR) unit at Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.(CLS), providing training and supervision for CLS attorney and social work staff, interns and volunteers. CLS is a nonprofit private law firm dedicated to helping low-income individuals and families obtain justice. Her experience includes staff case support, state contract administration and holistic representation for families in the juvenile justice system needing educational support services, as well as individual representation and systemic advocacy on behalf of students with disabilities in complaints, administrative and expulsion hearings, and due process advocacy with the CT State Department of Education (CSDE) and the Office of Civil Rights. Attorney Raszczyk-Lawska’s work spans all aspects of education law, including training of individuals, attorneys, advocates, and professional groups, such as the Connecticut Bar Association, Wheeler Clinic, and CSSD Juvenile Probation, on various topics including special education, school discipline, truancy and student homelessness. She assisted clients applying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In addition to an extensive background in education advocacy, she supervises and provides litigation support to the CAR unit’s model child protection project, representing children involved in abuse and neglect cases. She is an active member of CLS’ Mission and Culture Workgroup and Language Access Committee.

In addition to collaborating with other legal services, managing statewide meetings with advocates and service providers, and participating in local and regional initiatives, she participates in legislative and policy advocacy and assists in drafting proposed legislation. She regularly provides legislative testimony to promote progressive children’s policies in education, mental health, child protection, juvenile justice, and to further CLS’ commitment to low-income individuals. She serves on the Steering Committee of the Connecticut Justice Alliance and previously served on the Alliance for Children’s Mental Health as co-chair and the Boards of Directors of Empowering Children and Families, and Highville Charter School as a member of the Governance Committee. She also is a member of the Social Emotional Learning Collaborative, focusing on issues around school climate and bullying. She has been an active member since inception of various Juvenile Justice Policy Oversight Committee (JJPOC) workgroups, including Recidivism, Cross Agency Data Sharing and Education, which spearhead work around diversion, suspensions and expulsions, school attendance, and data transparency. She participates in the CSDE School Discipline Collaborative and Special Populations groups, and worked on the CSDE’s Alternative Schools Committee, which drafted guidelines for alternative schools in Connecticut, as well as guidelines and best practices for school expulsions. She works with Racial and Ethnic Disparities (RED) committees in Waterbury and Bridgeport to transform juvenile justice data into smarter policy. She is also honored to serve as a Connecticut Bar Foundation James W. Cooper Fellow.