This afternoon, Disability Rights Montana filed a lawsuit to block a destructive and misleading “disability education savings account” program that was created under the guise of helping students with disabilities. Our analysis shows this program will illegally hurt students with disabilities. We explained this to the legislature, but they did not heed our warning. We have been left with no other option than to use the courts to stop its implementation.

“This bill does not help Montanans with disabilities,” said Tal Goldin, Director of Advocacy at and attorney for Disability Rights Montana. “Instead, it reduces public school resources while offering no assurance that students with disabilities who leave the public schools will receive appropriate educational services that meet their needs. It’s a lose-lose situation.”

As the designated statewide Protection and Advocacy system for Montana, Disability Rights Montana appears in this case as an organizational plaintiff, suing on behalf of all students with disabilities across the state. We are joined by our co-plaintiff partner, the Montana Quality Education Coalition. They are one of the largest education advocacy organizations in the state. Their coalition includes more than 100 school districts and six educational organizations representing innumerable teachers, trustees, and administrators from across the state in urban and rural areas, large and small schools, and from the east to the west. In addition to being a plaintiff, Disability Rights Montana attorneys, Tal Goldin, our Director of Advocacy, and Michelle Weltman, our Supervising Attorney for Education, are representing us in the case along with additional co-counseling attorneys from Upper Seven Law.

HELENA, MT – Disability Rights Montana is excited to announce the selection of Tal Goldin as its inaugural Director of Advocacy, leading DRM’s day-to-day programmatic work.

Tal has spent the majority of his nearly 15-year career as a Montana lawyer advocating for the rights of people with disabilities, people living in poverty, victims of crimes, and other marginalized populations. Tal has led teams focusing on education, employment, benefits, and independent living at DRM since 2015 and successfully prosecuted a wide range of litigation in state and federal courts, including landmark work vindicating the rights of K-12 students with disabilities. He previously served as the first Director of Advocacy at Montana Legal Services Association and practiced with private firms in Missoula and Dillon, MT.

Tal taught Special Education Law at the University of Montana, Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences, served as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Law, and has presented throughout Montana and nationally on the civil rights of people with disabilities. He is a member of the national board of directors of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA), the nation’s leading organization advocating for the civil rights of K-12 students with disabilities, and serves on COPAA’s amicus committee. He is a 2013 fellow of the New Leader’s Council and a member of the Order of Barristers, the American Association for Justice, and the Montana Trial Lawyers’ Association. Tal is admitted to practice law before Montana and Washington state courts, the United States District Court for the District of Montana, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Tal received his B.F.A., cum laude, from the State University of New York, Purchase College and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Montana School of Law, where he twice served on the Jessup International Law Moot Court team.

Bernie Franks-Ongoy, DRM’s retiring Executive Director, said, “Tal is a remarkable leader and advocate for Montanans with Disabilities who will continue to serve our community, leading the programmatic operations of our organization as a wonderful partner to our incoming Executive Director.”