Daniel Phelan has spent more than a decade advocating for and protecting the rights of people with Type 1 Diabetes. Our work involves reasonable accommodations, discrimination, access to schools and workplaces, public accommodations, service animals, and other matters arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 1983 (42 U.S.C., § 1983), and other related federal and state laws.

School and Education Matters

Students with Type 1 Diabetes may require accommodations that allow them to manage their condition safely while participating fully in school. We routinely represent individuals with Type 1 Diabetes in administrative proceedings and litigation involving discrimination, retaliation, and the denial of disability-related rights in public schools, private schools, colleges, and other educational settings, including disputes involving a school’s failure to provide reasonable accommodations, which may include access to diabetes management devices (including cell phones), unlimited access to food and water, testing accommodations, and participation in extracurricular activities and field trips.

Employment Discrimination Matters

We also represent employees with Type 1 Diabetes in various employment discrimination matters, including requests for reasonable accommodations, access to food and diabetes-management supplies, breaks necessary to monitor or treat blood glucose levels, diabetes-related leave, workplace policies that interfere with diabetes management, and adverse employment actions resulting from an employee’s medical condition or accommodation needs.

We also routinely advise employers and organizations seeking to understand and appropriately address accommodation requests involving Type 1 Diabetes or other disabilities.

Places of Public Accommodation

People with Type 1 Diabetes may encounter discrimination or barriers to appropriate accommodation in camps, recreational programs, healthcare settings, businesses open to the public, government programs, and other settings. On this end, we represent individuals with Type 1 Diabetes in matters involving failures to modify policies, denial of access, retaliation, or other unequal treatment connected to their access to places of public accommodation.

Service Animals

We also represent individuals with Type 1 Diabetes in matters involving service animals, including the rights of individuals with Type 1 diabetes to access businesses, schools, government facilities, transportation, and other places open to the public with their trained diabetes alert dog. These matters often involve denied access, improper demands for documentation, discriminatory policies, or disagreements about accommodating a trained diabetes alert dog.

We also advise businesses and organizations regarding their obligations and the development of lawful, practical service-animal policies.

The Type 1 Action Foundation

Daniel is also the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of the Type 1 Action Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and empowering people with Type 1 Diabetes. The Foundation provides educational materials, accommodation forms, self-help resources, and referrals to attorneys across the United States.

The Type 1 Action Foundation and Phelan Law are separate organizations. Individuals seeking general educational resources, accommodation templates, or an attorney referral may visit www.type1action.org.