Federal Education Law Firm

Established as a two-attorney firm in 1980, Brustein & Manasevit is recognized for its federal education regulatory and legislative practice. Located in the historic Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C, our lawyers counsel school districts, state educational agencies, public and private post-secondary schools, charter schools, third-party contractors of educational services, and proprietary schools in federal education laws such as:

• No Child Left Behind
• IDEIA / IDEA
• Carl Perkins Act 
• Higher Education Act

We also provide federal grants management and legislative services for state and local educational agencies. The firm is also assists clients in drafting, proposing and reviewing legislation affecting education.

The firm's founding partners, Michael Brustein and Leigh Manasevit , have extensive experience in federal education law. From 1974 to 1979, Mr. Brustein served as an attorney in the Office of General Counsel, Education Division at the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW). Mr. Manasevit's career began in 1974 as a trial lawyer in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Determining that there was an emerging need for states and school districts to have representation in matters dealing with the then newly formed U.S. Department of Education, the two founded Brustein & Manasevit in 1980. Since its founding, the firm has represented many states, school districts, post-secondary institutions, charter schools, and private businesses on matters related to federal education programs.

While adding Kristen Tosh Cowan as a partner in 1999, the firm has carefully managed its growth and maintains the familiarity and efficiency of a small law office. We are therefore able to identify and respond to the clients' needs without the high overhead and excessive professional fees of many Washington, D.C. law firms. The streamlined structure ensures that our attorneys are accessible and familiar with the issues that affect our clients' interests, and we are dedicated to resolving our clients' problems in the most effective, creative and efficient manner possible, and at a reasonable cost.

We very much appreciate your interest in our firm, and we look forward to working with you.

Michael Brustein & Leigh Manasevit
Founding Partners

Free initial consultation: Contact Brustein & Manasevit