How to know when you need an attorney to advocate for your kid with Paula Yost

Brad
2 days ago
1 min read

Release date: March 16, 2026

As we have discussed in previous episodes, trained advocates can help protect the rights of kids in IEP meetings and other legal proceedings. Unfortunately, there are times when additional help is required, times when a lawyer is needed. My guest this episode is Paula Yost. Paula is an attorney who is committed to, what she calls, “legal social work,” which is advocating for kids at the intersection of law and education or social service. Paula and I discuss her role, what you can do to avoid needing an attorney, and how you can tell when you do. More information about Paula, her law firm, and her book, Tumbleweeds: How to be an Advocate for Your Children and Yourself in a Failing System, is below.

Biography of Paula Yost

Few professionals bridge the worlds of law and mental health with the depth and passion of Paula Yost. A seasoned attorney and licensed mental health clinician, Paula brings a multidimensional perspective that blends legal precision with human compassion.

Paula has built a distinguished career in trademark law. Beyond her core legal work, she is deeply committed to what she calls “legal social work”–advocating for individuals at the intersection of law and mental health.

As a mother of children with medical challenges and a survivor of life-threatening preeclampsia, Paula is on a mission to help families advocate for their children and themselves through storytelling, education, and unapologetic truth.