Attorney Ellen Marie Curran

Attorney Ellen Marie Curran is an attorney licensed to practice in Massachusetts.  She holds a Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University Law School, a Masters in Education from Boston College and a Bachelor's Degree from Emmanuel College. 

Attorney Curran is an experienced Civil Litigation attorney having handled various matters in the areas of Personal Injury, Debt Collection, Real Estate and Bankruptcy before deciding to take a break from the law and teaching special needs students.  In 2010, she obtained her Masters of Education, Teacher of Student with Moderate Special Needs, Grades 5-12 from the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. Attorney Curran completed her student teaching in a middle school located in Arlington, Massachusetts. Shortly thereafter she accepted a position as a Moderate Special Needs/History teacher in an Alternative High School in Haverhill, Massachusetts where she taught for seven years before returning to the practice of law. Attorney Curran has also completed extensive training with the Federation of Children Special Needs. 

In her work as an education lawyer, Attorney Curran utilizes her knowledge of schools and the special education system.  She assists families through all stages of the education advocacy process, from the initial evaluation, planning the first IEP meeting, IEP reviews, parent coaching, letter writing and more.  It is sometimes in the best interest of the family/student to allow Attorney Curran to guide the family from the sidelines on how to work cooperatively with school personnel and navigate the system. When forceful and experienced advocacy is needed, Attorney Curran will step in to represent the student and family directly in all school related matters.

Attorney Curran is also a private bar attorney for the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS). Through CPCS, Attorney Curran is appointed to defend both parents and child in Care and Protection cases on both the trial and appellate level. She also accepts appointments to represent individuals who are facing deprivation of their liberties via a Civil Commitment to a mental facility and/or a Court ordered Guardianship.

Attorney Curran is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) and the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA).  She is admitted to practice in both the state and federal courts of Massachusetts.  Attorney Curran is also a trained mediator. She has completed both ‘general’ mediation training as well as ‘specialized’ permanency mediation training.

Outside of work, Attorney Curran is an active participant in her community.  She has been a Senior Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Massachusetts - Lowell for over two decades.  She is a Museum Teacher Fellow for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Washington, D.C. She is also an active participant in the planning committee for the yearly “A Wild Affair” fundraising event at the Stone Zoo where she regularly volunteers.