Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ Jeyaram.
Hi DJ, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
When our son was first diagnosed with a rare genetic condition 15 years ago, my wife and I were lost, confused, and literally didn’t even know where to start. At that time, I had been practicing healthcare, corporate and regulatory law for nearly 10 years and had just opened my own practice. We quickly realized after our son was diagnosed, that we wanted to legally help families like ours, so we shifted the focus of my firm to advocating for and protecting special needs families. Fifteen years later, we continue to help special needs families put into place legal protections. It is an area of the law we are passionate about and truly enjoy.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of the biggest challenges for us was balancing our son’s complex medical needs and work. My wife resigned from a job that she loved so she could be our son’s primary caregiver. When he was a baby, our son would only sleep 15 minutes at a time and then be awake screaming for 2 to 3 hours due to severe reflux and insomnia. We would take shifts, trying to cram in some sleep while also running the firm. The first five years of ours son’s life and our decision to transition to focusing on special needs law was extremely challenging. However, today he sleeps through the night (most nights!) and we’ve been helping families for 15 years now – so it’s definitely gotten easier! There are still times when it’s tricky to balance work and our son’s medical needs. For example, in October of last year, our son had heart surgery. We’re thankful that our clients understand these kinds of challenges of raising a special needs child and were incredibly gracious in giving us time to recover. Due to their kindness, we were able to close the firm for a few days.
As you know, we’re big fans of Jeyaram & Associates. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I founded Jeyaram & Associates in 2007 and then shifted the focus of my firm to helping special needs families in 2009 after my son Kai was born and diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Williams Syndrome. I also serve as a Magistrate Judge for Gwinnett County (this fall will be 9 years).
Having a special needs son, extensive experience as a healthcare and regulatory attorney, and judicial experience as an Administrative Law Judge, and now serving as a Magistrate Judge – I have a unique perspective in making sure families put into place the best possible legal protections for their family. I believe these experiences – professionally and personally – set us apart from other law firms. Further, all of our estate planning attorneys have special needs children. We believe that personally knowing what our clients are going through makes us better lawyers and allows us to create stronger plans for them.
We get it. From never-ending paperwork to daily therapies and medical appointments, to IEP meetings to spending hours on the phone with insurance companies – we live their life. Often times our clients will ask for guidance beyond just legal matters such as – “Who do know that provides telehealth for adults with special needs for psychiatric services,” or “Who do use for medical supplies?” We have personal experiences that we’re able to use to help other families.
We specialize in wills, special needs trusts, guardianship, conservatorship, HIPAA waivers, powers of attorney, and appealing Katie Beckett and NOW/COMP denials (these are government-based waivers that help families care for their children in their homes vs institutions).
“Protecting Special Needs Families Is Our Mission.” We have dedicated our personal and professional lives to fulfilling this mission. We want everyone to have access to accurate, understandable legal information. We believe in educating and empowering parents and caregivers to make the best possible decisions for their families. To do that, we host a lot (maybe too many?!) free Webinars and conferences to help educate families. We also have a YouTube channel with informational videos: Georgia Special Needs Attorneys: https://www.youtube.com/@GASpecialNeedsAttorneys. We’re also thankful for our 2.3K Facebook followers and frequently post information to help educate and guide families.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
We absolutely love the diversity! From the people to the food – there’s something for everyone. Like everyone else, the one thing we wish we could change about our city is the traffic.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.JeyLaw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeyaramassociates/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeyaramAssociates
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeylaw/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GASpecialNeedsAttorneys
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jeyaram-and-associates-duluth-3
Image Credits
1st pict:: DJ and Claire Dees, Executive Director of SPECTRUM (ATL nonprofit serving families with children with Autism)
2nd pict: Swearing in as Judge for Gwinnett County Magistrate Court
3rd pict: Presenting at Legal Conference hosted by Jeyaram & Associates
4th pict: DJ and Dr. Cassandra Jeyaram (wife) at the FOCUS (Families of Children Under Stress) Gala (ATL nonprofit serving families with disabled children)
5th pict: DJ, son Kai and daughter Emmy (we love celebrating holidays)
6th pict: DJ and daughter Emmy at Greater Atlanta Christian school during career day
7th pict: DJ, wife and son Kai
