Emerson Dickman has been an advocate for individuals with disabilities and their families for over forty years. He has often credited his wife, Georgette, and his children for the passion with which he pursues his life’s work. His own experience as an individual with dyslexia has deepened his understanding of and sensitivity to the special needs of individuals with disabilities and the concerns of their families.

His four decades of experience in the education sphere gives him the depth of knowledge to support families to ensure their child’s needs are being appropriately met by the programs and services provided in school. Among the cases he has handled are leading precedents (New Jersey Supreme Court) protecting the due process rights of pupils in special education (Lascari) and the constitutional rights of adults with developmental disabilities (J.E.).

He is the past-President of the International Dyslexia Association and was a founding member of the consensus committee gathered in 1992 to create the legal definition of dyslexia. He speaks about dyslexia on the national and international stage, promoting awareness and advocacy. In 2004, Emerson conceived of and organized an invitational forum attended by 33 organizations on the issue of Building Capacity to Deliver Multi-Tiered Reading Intervention in Public Schools. Emerson has been an invited speaker at conferences in 26 states, Hong Kong, England, Brazil, India, and the Czech Republic.

New Jersey Council for Exceptional Children Division of Early Childhood 1993 Professional Recognition Award and Parent Recognition Award

Community Resource Council 1993 Lawyers Committee Award

The Orton Dyslexia Society, New Jersey Branch 1996 Community Service Award

Bergen County Bar Foundation 2000 Community Service Award

The Newgrange School 2009 Service Award

Hall of Honor of the International Dyslexia Association, 2009

The Outstanding Achievement Award; NJIDA, 2010

The Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012; International Dyslexia Association (shared with his wife, Georgette Dickman)

Current Member of:

• Professional Advisory Board of the Center for Development and Learning
• Professional Advisory Board of The Children’s Dyslexia Centers

Former Member of:

• President of the International Dyslexia Association
• National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities
• Secretary of the Arc of N.J.
• Professional Advisory Board for the National Center for Learning Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities Roundtable sponsored by the Division of Research to Practice of the U. S. Department of Education
• Chairman of the Protection and Advocacy Agency for the State of New Jersey
• Founding board and past Secretary of the Alliance for Accreditation and Certification of Structured Language Education