D.C.’s chief judge has issued strict new rules governing the conduct of lawyers who handle cases involving special-needs kids in the city’s schools.

Under Chief Judge Lee Satterfield’s regulations, lawyers will have to complete at least 16 hours of specialized training, prove that they’re in good standing with the D.C. Bar, submit to continuing education seminars and follow a rigid code of conduct on topics ranging from case management to ensuring that the children’s parents, not the lawyers, make decisions affecting a child’s education.