Torin Togut, Attorney at Law
- More than thirty-seven years experience in the practice of law, and more than
thirty years of law practice concentrated in the areas of civil rights, special
education, disability law. - Adjunct Professor of Law, University of Georgia, School of Law (Sept. 2008-June 2012) . Taught special education law and supervise law students in representing low-income families with disabilities.
- Specialist attorney for Georgia Legal Services Program in Atlanta, Georgia for twenty-five years in which I represented children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities in federal civil rights lawsuits involving claims under the IDEA, Section 504, ADA, and United States Constitution.
- Varied legal experience advocating for individuals with disabilities including employment as the Executive Director of Vermont Protection and Advocacy.
- Provides advice and assistance to Georgia public interest and private attorneys in the areas of education, special education, and disability law.
- Private practice of law in Roswell, Georgia, (April 1996 to October 2001), and Barre, Vermont (November 2002 to June 2003), and Lawrenceville, Georgia (July 2003 to present), which focuses primarily on representing children and adults with disabilities, juvenile court proceedings, criminal defense, and other civil rights litigation.
- Extensive experience representing students with disabilities at IEP meetings, mediation, administrative due process hearings, and in federal and appellate court proceedings.
- Frequent speaker in the areas of special education and disability rights at local, regional and national workshops and conferences.
- Published articles on special education topics in law reviews and other special education and disability rights forums.
- Graduate of Cornell University (B. S.) and University of LaVerne College of Law (J. D.).
- Member of the State of Georgia Bar; Inactive member of the State of Vermont Bar.
- Admission to practice before the federal district court in Vermont, the federal district courts in the Northern District, Middle District, and Southern District of Georgia, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
Qualifications & Experience
Work Experience
September 2008 – June 2012
Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Georgia School of Law and Managing Attorney of Special Education Practicum.
ACTIVITIES: Provide classroom instruction to law student in area of special education law and supervise them in a legal clinic representing low-income families of children with disabilities in a multi-county area.
September 2006 – June 2008
Cousins Public Interest Fellowship at University of Georgia School of Law.
ACTIVITIES: Developed clinical law school program and curriculum to serve low-income families of children with disabilities in a multi-county area and provide law students special education law and practice in a clinical setting.
July 2003 – January 2012
Georgia Legal Services Program Central Office, Atlanta, Georgia. Part time Specialist Attorney in Mental Health, Health and Education.
July 2003-Present (Lwrenceville, Georgia)
ACTIVITIES: Private practice of law involving representation of children, adolescents and adults with disabilities; special education, mental health, disability rights, civil rights, juvenile, criminal defense, employment, and general practice of law throughout the State of Georgia.
November 2002 – July 2003
Torin D. Togut, Attorney at Law, Barre,Vermont
ACTIVITIES: Private practice of law involving representation of infants, toddlers, children, adolescents and adults with disabilities; special education, mental health, disability rights, civil rights, criminal defense, employment, and general practice of law.
May 20, 2002 – August 2002
Legal Assistant at ACLU of Vermont
ACTIVITIES: legal research, coordination of cases with cooperating attorneys, screening and closing of cases, supervision of interns.
October 2001 – May 2002
Executive Director Vermont Protection and Advocacy, Inc.
ACTIVITIES: Responsible for the overall management and administrative oversight of agency including, but not limited to, preparing grants, budgets, and subcontracts, managing 12 employees, developing legal and legislative advocacy, testifying before legislative committees, trainings, reports to board of directors, recommendations to committees, grievances, contacts with agencies, advocates and community organizers, and insuring compliance with federal requirements.
September 1984 – October 2001
Georgia Legal Services Program Central Office. Atlanta, Georgia. Specialist Attorney in Mental Health, Health and Education.
ACTIVITIES: Back-up attorney in specialist area to attorneys and paralegals in 11 field offices. Responsibilities include reviewing and participation in all federal litigation and state appellate filing in designated subject areas; development of materials memoranda on current trends in subject area; participation in training program for staff; testifying before legislative and administrative bodies on issues relating to individuals with disabilities; legal advocate for children and adolescents with special needs, and adults with disabilities; coordination of administrative activities in subject area; management support to central office staff and managing attorneys in field offices.
ASSOCIATED ACTIVITIES:
Coordinate and conduct training sessions and outreach activities to clients, associations and service providers in subject area.
June 1977 – September 1984:
Torin D. Togut, Attorney at Law, Decatur, Georgia.
ACTIVITIES: Private practice of law involving but not limited to civil and criminal trial practice, state and federal appellate practice, domestic, civil rights, labor law, bankruptcy, and poverty law.
September 1996 – October 2001
Torin D. Togut, Attorney at Law, Roswell, Georgia
ACTIVITIES: Part-time private practice of law involving representation of infants, and toddlers, children, adolescents and with disabilities, special education mental health, disability rights, and civil rights, and disability rights law.
Educations
Law School: University of LaVerne, College of Law, Los Angeles, California. Juris Doctor – August, 1976.
College: Cornell University – School of Industrial Labor Relations. Ithaca, New York. B.S. – May 1973.
Bar Admissions: Georgia Admission to Bar June 1977. Vermont Admission to Bar November 2002 Federal District Courts: Northern District of Georgia; Middle District of Georgia; Southern District of Georgia; District Court of Vermont. Federal Appellate Courts: Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals; United States Supreme Court.
