Associate Attorney

Ariel Harman-Holmes brings over fifteen years of experience in civil and public interest litigation to her role as an Associate Attorney at Hirji, Chau & Rodriguez LLP. She is dedicated to advocating for students and families in special education, disability rights, and civil rights matters.

Ariel grew up in Brooklyn, New York, raised by her mother, a social worker for child protective services, and her grandmother, a passionate teacher who helped countless children with learning disabilities learn to read. As a parent of three children with disabilities, she is committed to expanding access to justice for families impacted by intersecting challenges.

In her free time, Ariel enjoys hiking, knitting, playing piano, and writing songs.

Legal Experience

Ariel earned her J.D. from Cornell Law School, where she served as President of the National Lawyers Guild, Vice President of Lambda Legal, Co-Founder of the Human Rights Club, and Events Editor of the Journal of Law and Public Policy. While in law school, she completed clinics in immigration, criminal defense, and death penalty defense and interned with the ACLU’s LGBT Rights Project and Legislative Division.

Drawing on her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Theater, Ariel combines a nuanced understanding of human behavior with strong negotiation and courtroom skills. She is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and the California Association for Parent-Child Advocacy (CAPCA). She is conversational in Spanish.

Ariel previously served as a public defender in New Orleans and later transitioned to civil litigation and special education law in California. She has represented clients in a broad range of proceedings, including IEP meetings, mediations, due process hearings, jury trials, and appeals.