Jesse Cole Cutler

Jesse’s journey in special education began not in courtrooms, but on buses and in museums – working summers and weekends with teens and young adults with developmental delays, where he learned the difficulties of navigating a world with challenges that all too often went unseen or unnoticed. Those experiences taught him that inclusion is not a buzzword but a way of life, and that disability never limits potential – systems and attitudes do. He learned that disability does not diminish humanity, but the world too often acts like it does. That realization lit a fire that still burns today.

In college, Jesse deepened his commitment by working for Regina Skyer and engaging in legislative work at the New York State Assembly. After earning his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, he joined SkyerLaw and became a partner in 2004. Today, Jesse works closely with Regina on firm management and the firm’s Litigation and Appeals Team, including all federal court appeals and shaping strategies that protect and further families’ rights in special education law.

A frequent lecturer on special education law and policy, Jesse believes that passion becomes collective power. His work ensures that every child receives the education they deserve - and that families are never alone in the fight for equity. He is the Board Chair of COPAA (the Council of Parents, Attorneys, and Advocates), the nationwide organization dedicated to protecting the rights of students with disabilities, and is Co-Chair of the Practicing Law Institute’s School Law Institute, advancing thought leadership in education law and disability rights advocacy.

Jesse lives in Brooklyn Heights with his wife, their two children, and their dog, Kermit.

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