Atty. Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin
For over 40 years, Jerry Zelin has devoted his practice to representing New Hampshire school districts in a wide array of student-related matters including special education, inter-district residency disputes, juvenile court cases, pupil discipline, civil rights, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and limits on the state and federal governments’ authority to regulate local school districts. Jerry has successfully represented school districts in some of New Hampshire’s leading court cases, including cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the U.S.
Profile Summary
About Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin at a glance
Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin is a education attorney based in Manchester, New Hampshire, practicing at Drummond Woodsum. Educated at Harvard University (JD, 1975) and Yale University (BA, 1971). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Education Law (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Special Focus: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Special Education (2026). Serands clients in Manchester, NH and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- For over 40 years, Jerry Zelin has devoted his practice to representing New Hampshire school districts in a wide array of student-related matters including special education, inter-district residency disputes, juvenile court cases, pupil discipline, civil rights, the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and limits on the state and federal governments’ authority to regulate local school districts
- Jerry has successfully represented school districts in some of New Hampshire’s leading court cases, including cases before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the U.S
- District Court for the District of New Hampshire
- Jerry also represents school districts in administrative hearings conducted by the New Hampshire Department of Education and investigations by state and federal agencies
- He is on the panels of approved special education defense attorneys for Primex and the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group
- Jerry is a nationally-recognized speaker and writer on special education law and has won numerous awards for his professionalism and expertise
- He helped write many of New Hampshire’s statutes and State Board of Education rules governing students, and serves on the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys committee that will advise Congress in rewriting the federal special education statute
- In 2020, Best Lawyers named Jerry the New Hampshire Lawyer of the Year in education law
- He has the highest possible rating in Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in American Law
- In 2013, Jerry received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Hampshire Association of Special Education Administrators in recognition of his successful representation of school districts and his pro bono work on behalf of public schools
- In 2011, he received the New Hampshire Council of School Attorneys’ Bradley F. Kidder Award “for his outstanding contributions in the field of education law.” Jerry enjoys spending his free time with his family, kayaking, landscape photography, and reading historical fiction
- He is deeply committed to using his legal training to improve his community, and has done pro bono work in support of maintaining Portsmouth’s historic downtown, preserving the Portsmouth Music Hall building, and leading referenda campaigns to improve Portsmouth’s governance
Practice Areas Explained
Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Education attorneys for special education (IEP), school discipline, Title IX, and student rights.
Gerald M. "Jerry" Zelin is one of 24,079 education attorneys indexed nationally. Browse education attorneys in New Hampshire →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in New Hampshire
Practicing law in New Hampshire. Legal matters in New Hampshire are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Manchester are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate New Hampshire state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in New Hampshire brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in New Hampshire courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional New Hampshire attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Manchester or all attorneys in New Hampshire.
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