MEET ROBIN CHALKER

Attorney/Educational Advocate

Upon completion of Dual Master’s Degrees in Special Education (K-12) and Elementary Education, Robin began her career as a special education teacher in the state of Massachusetts. While working as a teacher she constantly found herself “fighting the system” advocating for her student’s needs. After teaching for over ten years, Robin decided that the best way for her to make a difference was to enroll in the School of Law at Suffolk University. During her first year of law school, she moved to Colorado where she graduated in the top ten percentile of her class from the University of Denver in 2001. 

Robin Chalker is a attorney on inactive status acting as an advocate with more than 20 years of experience representing families having children with disabilities; assisting the children who have been denied legal rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Professional Experience

Robin Chalker Advocacy Golden Colorado
Attorney/Inactive Attorney, 2011–Present

Robin Chalker formed Robin Chalker Advocacy in 2011 because she realized how alone parents were in advocating for their child. She saw a great need in our educational system to have parents of students with disabilities to be educated on their legal right to have their child receive a free and appropriate public education. Team meetings discussing the future of a child were filled with numerous school district employees planning an educational program or placement. Many times, the team member may or may not have even met the child. Robin decided that parents need to have their voice completely heard and not silenced with the opinions of numerous experts. She wanted to create a meeting where parents and school district members were collaboratively working together for the ultimate goal of creating a plan that would provide the child not only an appropriate education, but an education where the student would grow socially, emotionally and academically in a safe and supportive environment.

Her focus is representing families having children with disabilities and extraordinary abilities and assisting their children in receiving proper support and services. She offers training for families on their civil rights as well as attends IEP, ALP and 504 meetings. She has been successful in mediations with the Colorado Department of Education on behalf of families. She negotiates settlements in support of families for reimbursement of expenses and compensatory services as well as attends truancy court hearings. Robin Chalker Advocacy focuses on obtaining appropriate placements with supports and services for students with special needs, gifted students and twice exceptional students.

Additional Experience

Association for Community Living, Boulder County
Senior Advocate and Attorney, 2001–2011

Special Needs Teacher/Acting Principal (1994 to 1997)
Salem Public Schools, Carlton Elementary School

United Cerebral Palsy Teacher/volunteer/counselor

Education

The Juris Doctor Degree (2001)
Denver University School of Law – Denver, Colorado
Class Rank: 12/232, Top 5.60% of Class
Order of Saint Ives

Master’s in Special and Elementary Education EDM (1992)
Elementary Education Certification (1992)
Boston University – MA

Bachelor of Arts (1991)
Special Education Certification (1991)
Syracuse University – New York

Academic Award for Oral Argument (1998)
Suffolk University School of Law – Boston, MA

Certified Mediator (2014)
Boulder, CO