About Anne
Anne Bradley is a founding partner of Section 504 Solutions, L.L.C. Anne is an attorney specializing in education law, with a focus on civil rights and disability law. She provides training in matters involving special education, students with disabilities and civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment on the basis of disability, race, color, national origin, age and sex.
Anne spent over a decade as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). She started her career at the Department of Education as an investigative attorney, processing and investigating complaints alleging civil rights violations by schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through post-secondary graduate programs, medical schools and law schools. Her work enforcing federal civil rights laws spanned the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and more recently, Arkansas. After ten years as a successful investigative attorney, Anne was promoted by the Department to a senior attorney with subject matter expertise. In this capacity, Anne conducted complex compliance reviews and provided training to school districts and other groups on civil rights compliance. Anne was then promoted to supervisory attorney, a position in which she oversaw a team of Department attorneys and their investigative work. In addition, to disability law, Anne’s expertise includes the use of statistical information in the enforcement of civil rights laws, student discipline and sexual violence on school campus.
Upon leaving the Department of Education in December 2020, Anne has provided training and guidance to clients in disability law and civil rights compliance. Most recently, in April 2021, Anne gave the closing address to the Tyler Technology International Conference on The Intersection Between Data and Civil Rights Compliance in Schools.
Anne graduated from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law in 2006 and the University of Missouri – Columbia in 2003.
About Betsey
Betsey A. Helfrich is a founding partner of Section 504 Solutions, LLC. Betsey is an attorney specializing in education law, with a focus on special education law. She has represented school district clients against a variety of state and federal courts as well as in special education due process hearings and appeals, including the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Betsey provides general counsel to schools and conducts local and national trainings regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Betsey frequently guides clients in emerging issues in the education law community. She is a national presenter and published author on the topic of virtual instruction and the impact on special education students. In 2020, her book Virtual Instruction for Students with Disabilities: Meeting IDEA and Section 504, was published by LRP Publications. In 2020, Betsey conducted a webinar regarding Virtual Instruction During the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Legal Aspects for Special Education Students to guide schools and other school attorneys during unprecedented times. Betsey presented on this topic at LRP’s Annual Special Education School Attorneys Conference in 2020 and 2021 and spoke at the 40th Annual National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individuals with Disabilities regarding the Legal Aspects of Blended Virtual Instruction in May 2019. In spring 2019, Betsey gave the keynote address at the Transporting Students with Disabilities Conference in Frisco, Texas. Betsey was invited to present at LRP’s 38th & 39th Annual National Institute on Legal Issues of Educating Individuals with Disabilities. Betsey is also a frequent presenter for the National Business Institute. In 2012, Betsey was invited to speak at the National School Board Association Council of School Attorneys seminar in Santa Fe, New Mexico, regarding the Children’s Internet Protection Act. In 2013, Betsey presented at ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education Conference held in San Antonio, Texas. In 2015, Betsey was invited to present at the National School Board Association Council of School Attorneys seminar, held in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2016, Betsey spoke at the National School Board Association Council of School Attorneys seminar in Portland, Oregon, regarding student mental health and student suicide. Betsey also served on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s workgroup regarding youth suicide prevention and awareness.
In July 2014, Betsey was honored by Missouri Lawyers’ Weekly as a recipient of the Up & Coming Award. This award recognized Missouri attorneys age 40 and younger who demonstrate professional accomplishment, skill and leadership and demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to the community through their volunteer service and leadership.
Betsey graduated magna cum laude from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law in 2006 and in the same year was selected as the Tierra Farrow Outstanding Woman Law Student.
From 2015- 2020, Betsey has been recognized as a Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers Rising Star.