Carla Fassbender, Esq. M.Ed.

After a rewarding career in public education, Attorney Fassbender started Fassbender Law, PLLC 

Attorney Fassbender began working in the field of education law as a student intern in 2015. She has dedicated her practice to representing students and families in matters of special education, student discipline, and other educational matters with her primary practice in North Carolina. She is also licensed to represent clients in Washington, D.C and Wisconsin.  As a former public school teacher with over 15 years experience, Attorney Fassbender has attended 100s of IEP and 504 meetings.  In addition to filing lawsuits and assisting with dispute resolution, Attorney Fassbender serves as a special education advocate at IEP and 504 meetings and consults with families regarding educational planning and future-focused goals.  Attorney Fassbender has the skill level, expertise, and education to fight for the rights of her clients.

Attorney Fassbender graduated Cum Laude from Charlotte School of Law where she worked as a LexisNexis Student Ambassador, participated in the Wills Clinic, served as a teaching assistant, and helped lead the American Bar Association’s 4th Circuit Law Student Division and the school’s Native American Law Student Association.

She holds a master's degree in educational leadership from American College of Education and an undergraduate degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. 

Attorney Fassbender maintains a North Carolina Teaching License in the areas of School Administrator: Principal, Spanish K-12, Science 6-9, and Mathematics 6-9.

 When she is not advocating for the rights of others, Attorney Fassbender enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, exploring the great outdoors, and spending time with her family.  

Rebekah (Beckye) Francis-Barnes is a South Carolina attorney focused on disability rights whose work is grounded in a strong commitment to due process, constitutional protections, and client-centered advocacy; particularly for individuals whose disabilities or neurodivergence place them at heightened risk within public systems.

Rebekah is the parent of two children with disabilities who are twice exceptional (2e), both of whom experienced significant educational access issues, including denials of a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Her personal experience navigating public education systems has given her direct, practical insight into the intersection of learning disabilities, autism, and social-emotional needs. This experience has informed her professional focus on disability rights and systemic compliance.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Rebekah founded and operated Beckye Barnes Educational Consulting, a private education advocacy practice (now closed), through which she represented families in IDEA and Section 504 matters, including IEP and 504 meetings, evaluation review, and compliance advocacy. She also worked as a contract paralegal and law clerk focusing on education and disability law, including administrative hearings and mediations.  Rebekah continues to advocate for her clients as an attorney at IEP and 504 plan meetings, as well as with other school law matters.

Rebekah earned her Juris Doctor in May 2025 from Faulkner University, Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, following earlier academic training in paralegal studies. She remains actively engaged in ongoing legal and interdisciplinary education related to disability, neurodevelopment, and civil rights.