ASK THE ADVOCATE, LLC
Terms and Conditions
Effective April 1, 2026 | asktheadvocate.org | Massachusetts
IMPORTANT — Please Read Before Using This Website or Purchasing Any Service
By accessing asktheadvocate.org, booking a session, joining the community, or purchasing any product, you agree to be bound by these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use this site or services.
1. ABOUT ASK THE ADVOCATE
Ask the Advocate, LLC is a special education advocacy and consulting company based in Massachusetts. Maureen Brown, M.S., has provided educational advocacy services to families navigating the special education system for over 22 years. Ask the Advocate operates the website located at asktheadvocate.org and offers services including 1:1 consulting sessions, placement consultation, ongoing IEP consulting, a membership community hosted on Skool, digital products, templates, and speaking engagements.
2. NOT LEGAL ADVICE
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
Ask the Advocate, LLC provides educational advocacy and consulting services. Nothing on this website, in any session, in the community, in any digital product, template, or communication from Ask the Advocate, LLC constitutes legal advice. Maureen Brown is not an attorney. Ask the Advocate, LLC is not a law firm. The information and guidance provided are based on knowledge of special education law, policy, and practice and are intended to help families understand and navigate the special education process. If you require legal representation or legal advice, you should consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.
3. USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND TEMPLATES
Ask the Advocate, LLC uses artificial intelligence tools to assist in the creation of certain written content, including but not limited to draft letters, template documents, community content, educational materials, and communications. All AI-assisted content is reviewed and approved by Maureen Brown, M.S., before it is shared with clients or made available through any platform or product.
Templates
Templates provided by Ask the Advocate, LLC, including parent concern letter templates, evaluation request templates, IEP goal frameworks, and any other downloadable or community-shared documents, are intended solely as starting points and educational tools. They are not legal documents. They are not substitutes for individualized legal or professional advice.
You are responsible for reviewing, adapting, and verifying any template before use. Ask the Advocate, LLC makes no warranty that any template will produce a specific outcome or that any template is appropriate for your specific jurisdiction, school district, or child's situation.
AI-Generated Content
Content created or assisted by artificial intelligence tools will not be identified as such in every instance. By using this website and its resources, you acknowledge and accept that some content, templates, and written materials may have been created with the assistance of AI tools. You agree not to hold Ask the Advocate, LLC liable for any outcome resulting from your use of AI-assisted content or templates.
Ask the Advocate, LLC does not use AI to make individualized advocacy decisions. All case-specific guidance in 1:1 sessions, community office hours, or consulting engagements is provided directly by Maureen Brown, M.S.
4. SERVICES COVERED
These Terms and Conditions apply to all services and products offered by Ask the Advocate, LLC, including:
30-Minute Education Strategy Sessions booked through HoneyBook
Placement Consultation services contracted through HoneyBook
Ongoing IEP consulting services contracted through HoneyBook
Ask the Advocate Community memberships hosted on Skool (Free, Standard at $19/month, and Premium at $97/month)
Templates and downloadable resources provided through this website, email, or the Skool community
Digital products purchased through this website or through Skool
Speaking engagements contracted directly with Ask the Advocate, LLC
5. IEP ADVOCACY SERVICES
Ask the Advocate, LLC provides IEP advocacy and consulting services to help families understand, navigate, and participate in the special education process under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and applicable state law.
What IEP Services Include
IEP consulting services may include review of educational records and evaluations, guidance on IEP goals and services, preparation for IEP meetings, attendance at virtual or in-person IEP meetings, review of progress reports and data, drafting of parent concern letters and written communications to the school district, and guidance on dispute resolution options, including mediation and due process.
No Guarantee of Outcome
Ask the Advocate, LLC does not guarantee any specific result from IEP advocacy services, including any particular placement, service level, evaluation finding, or outcome at an IEP meeting, mediation, or due process proceeding. Educational outcomes depend on many factors outside the control of Ask the Advocate, LLC.
6. PLACEMENT CONSULTATION SERVICES
Ask the Advocate, LLC offers placement consultation services to help families identify, evaluate, and advocate for appropriate educational placements for children with special needs. Placement consultation is a specialized service distinct from general IEP advocacy and may be engaged separately or as part of an ongoing advocacy relationship.
What Placement Consultation Includes
Placement consultation services may include review of evaluation data and current educational programming, analysis of available placement options including public school programs, therapeutic day schools, residential programs, and out-of-district placements, guidance on least restrictive environment requirements under IDEA, support in requesting placement changes from the school district, and coordination with third-party evaluators, clinicians, and specialists within Maureen Brown's professional network.
Placement Recommendations
Placement recommendations made by Ask the Advocate, LLC are based on the professional judgment of Maureen Brown, M.S., and the information available at the time of the consultation. Recommendations are advisory in nature. The ultimate decision regarding placement rests with the parent or guardian and the IEP team. Ask the Advocate, LLC, does not guarantee that any recommended placement will be approved or funded by the school district.
Third-Party Placements and Referrals
When Ask the Advocate, LLC refers families to specific schools, programs, or providers, those referrals are made in good faith based on professional knowledge and network. Ask the Advocate, LLC does not receive compensation from any school, program, or provider in exchange for referrals. Ask the Advocate, LLC is not responsible for the quality, performance, or outcomes of any third-party school or program.
No Guarantee of Placement
Ask the Advocate, LLC does not guarantee that any specific placement will be secured, approved, or funded as a result of placement consultation services. Placement decisions involve multiple parties, including school districts, state agencies, and, in some cases, the courts. Ask the Advocate, LLC will advocate vigorously on your child's behalf, but cannot guarantee any specific outcome.
7. BOOKING AND SESSION TERMS
Strategy Sessions
30-Minute Education Strategy Sessions are booked and paid through HoneyBook. Sessions are conducted via video or phone call. Scheduling is subject to availability. Ask the Advocate, LLC reserves the right to reschedule any session due to circumstances outside its reasonable control.
Ongoing IEP and Placement Consulting
Ongoing consulting services are governed by a separate service agreement executed through HoneyBook. In the event of any conflict between that agreement and these Terms and Conditions, the terms of the executed service agreement shall control.
Cancellations by Client
Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before a scheduled session. Sessions canceled with less than 24 hours' notice may be forfeited without refund at the discretion of Ask the Advocate, LLC. Rescheduling is subject to availability.
Cancellations by Ask the Advocate, LLC
If Ask the Advocate, LLC must cancel a scheduled session, you will be notified promptly and offered the option to reschedule at no additional charge.
8. COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP TERMS
Tiers and Access
The Ask the Advocate Community is hosted on Skool and is available at three tiers: Free (no charge), Standard ($19 per month), and Premium ($97 per month). Access to each tier is as described on the membership page and is subject to change with reasonable notice.
Billing and Renewal
Paid membership tiers are billed monthly through Skool's payment system. Your membership will renew each month automatically until canceled. You are responsible for canceling your membership before the next billing date if you do not wish to be charged.
Cancellation of Membership
You may cancel your Skool membership at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You will retain access to your paid tier through the end of the period for which you have been charged. Ask the Advocate, LLC does not issue prorated refunds for unused days within a paid billing period.
Community Conduct
The Ask the Advocate Community is a private, moderated space. Members are expected to engage respectfully and in good faith. Ask the Advocate, LLC reserves the right to remove any member from the community, with or without refund, for conduct that is abusive, harassing, harmful, or otherwise inconsistent with the community's values. Ask the Advocate, LLC has sole discretion in determining what constitutes a violation of community standards.
9. TEMPLATES AND DIGITAL PRODUCTS
All templates, digital products, and downloadable resources sold through asktheadvocate.org or made available through the Skool community are delivered electronically. Purchases are final. Because digital products and templates are immediately accessible upon purchase or access, Ask the Advocate, LLC does not offer refunds under any circumstances.
Templates are provided for educational and informational purposes only. They are not legal documents. They should be reviewed and adapted to your specific situation before use. Ask the Advocate, LLC, is not responsible for the outcome of any communication, meeting, or proceeding in which a template is used.
10. SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Speaking engagements are subject to a separate agreement between Ask the Advocate, LLC, and the booking organization. Fees, cancellation terms, and travel requirements will be outlined in the applicable speaking agreement. These Terms and Conditions apply to the extent that they are not superseded by that agreement.
11. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
All content on asktheadvocate.org, including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, videos, course materials, templates, AI-assisted documents, and downloadable resources, is the property of Ask the Advocate, LLC and is protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws.
The Ask the Advocate name and logo are trademarks and registered trademarks of Ask the Advocate, LLC. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, or otherwise exploit any content from this website or from any Ask the Advocate product or service without prior written permission from Ask the Advocate, LLC.
Content shared by members inside the Skool community remains the property of the individual who created it. By posting in the community, you grant Ask the Advocate, LLC a non-exclusive license to use that content for community moderation and educational purposes.
12. CONFIDENTIALITY
Information shared in 1:1 sessions, placement consultations, in the community, or in any consulting engagement with Ask the Advocate, LLC is treated with discretion. Ask the Advocate, LLC will not share your personal situation, your child's information, or details of your case with any third party except as required by law or with your express written permission.
By participating in the community, you acknowledge that other members may view publicly posted content you share. You are responsible for what you share in a community setting.
13. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
The services, content, templates, and products provided by Ask the Advocate, LLC, including any AI-assisted content, are provided on an as-is and as-available basis. Ask the Advocate, LLC makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose of any information, template, or guidance provided.
Ask the Advocate, LLC does not guarantee any specific outcome from the use of its services, including but not limited to any particular result in an IEP meeting, placement decision, due process proceeding, or other interaction with a school district.
14. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Massachusetts law, Ask the Advocate, LLC shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or related to your use of this website, any service, any template, any AI-assisted content, or any product.
Ask the Advocate, LLC's total liability to you for any claim arising under these Terms and Conditions shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to Ask the Advocate, LLC in the 30 days immediately preceding the claim.
15. INDEMNIFICATION
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Ask the Advocate, LLC, its members, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of or related to your use of this website or services, your use of any template or AI-assisted content, your violation of these Terms and Conditions, or your violation of any applicable law.
16. THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS
Ask the Advocate, LLC uses third-party platforms, including HoneyBook and Skool, to facilitate bookings, payments, and community access. Your use of those platforms is also subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies. Ask the Advocate, LLC is not responsible for the practices, policies, or performance of any third-party platform.
17. GOVERNING LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
These Terms and Conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Massachusetts, and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.
18. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS
Ask the Advocate, LLC reserves the right to update or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time. Updated terms will be posted on this website with a revised effective date. Your continued use of this website or any service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.
19. CONTACT
If you have questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact Ask the Advocate, LLC at asktheadvocate.org.