Mary Denise Cahill, Attorney at Law, is the founder and owner of Cahill & Associates. Her firm concentrates its practice in the areas of
School law
Special education law
Disability rights law
Estate planning for families with
special needs issues
Cahill & Associates represents families of children with special needs, including children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental disabilities, emotional disorders and learning disabilities.
Prior to going into private practice, Ms. Cahill had a successful career as an attorney with the Chicago Board of Education. Ms. Cahill has litigated numerous matters related to disabilities, sex and race discrimination, as well as violations of the ADA, IDEIA and Section 504. A veteran of hundreds of IEP meetings, medication sessions and due process proceedings, Ms. Cahill has succeeded in obtaining residential placements and threapeutic day school placements for innumerable children.
As an expert speaker in the area of Special Education, Ms. Cahill frequently presents programs for parent support groups such as CHADD, as well as school district sponsored support groups. Her topics include:
- The ABCs of Special Education
- Guardianship Issues
- Estate Planning for Families with Special Needs
Ms. Cahill earned both her B.S. and J.D. degrees from Loyola University, Chicago. She also holds a secondary teaching certificate in Illinois.
Ms. Cahill is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association; the DuPage Association of Women Lawyers; the Council of Parents, Attorneys and Advocates; CHADD; and the Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois. She is licensed to practice before the Illinois Supreme Court, Arizona Supreme Court, and the United States Supreme Court.
