Jessica Cochran has a unique understanding of special education law due to her background in the field. Prior to attending law school, she worked as both a classroom and one-on-one instructional aide and then as a behavior specialist. She worked in a variety of settings serving children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, emotional challenges, cognitive impairments and learning disabilities. It was these children that inspired her to pursue law school as she wanted to advocate for children in need. Therefore, she applied and was admitted to Whittier Law School’s child advocacy fellowship program, the Center for Children’s Rights.
During law school Ms. Cochran continued to work in the area of special education. She clerked at the Learning Rights Project, a non-profit organization representing the educational needs of children living in at-risk areas in and around Los Angeles and children involved in the juvenile justice system, Protection & Advocacy Inc. (renamed Disability Rights California), a nationwide legal agency dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities and Whittier’s Special Education Clinic. She also worked in the juvenile division of the Orange County Public Defender’s Office assisting with cases involving juveniles with special education issues.
Following law school, she went to work at a special education law firm in southern California, where she advocated for both educational and regional center services for children with special needs, before deciding to return to the Bay Area.
After returning to the Bay Area in 2006, Ms. Cochran joined a private law firm located in San Francisco. While at this firm, Ms. Cochran worked on numerous cases in various areas of law including special education, social services benefits, discrimination, disability rights, and conservatorships.
In 2009, Ms. Cochran left the San Francisco based firm and started her own practice.
EDUCATION
- Whittier Law School
Juris Doctor 2005, Center for Children’s Rights Fellow
- University of California, Santa Cruz
Bachelor of Arts, 1995 (double major)
- Psychology (focused on child development)
- Politics
ADMITTED
- California State Bar, 2006
- United States District Court of California, Northern District, 2007
- United States District Court of California, Eastern District, 2007