Child Custody Pro Bono Programs Report May 23 ABA Child Custody Pro Bono Project 321 N. Clark St. Chicago, Illinois 6654 312-985-585 312-988-5483 (fax) www.abachildcustodyproject.org
Updated versions of this Report are available at www.abachildcustodyproject.org
Introduction In the fall of 21, the ABA Child Custody Pro Bono Project sent a survey to programs that might provide pro bono representation directly to in private custody matters involving divorce, unmarried parents, post divorce, private guardianship, adoption and/or orders of protection. We ultimately received information on 29 programs that provide direct representation to in private custody matters through attorneys. The information is summarized in this report and accompanying Directory. We recognize that there may be other programs which are doing this work and hope that this first report and Directory will, among other things, serve to increase the awareness among programs of the existence of other like programs and encourage such programs both to provide us with information which will help to create a community and to network between such programs. This report consists of three sections. Section I includes Table 1- a listing of all the programs with the numbers of cases handled by s in 21 and preliminary information for 22. Section II includes Tables 2 through 5, which provide a comparison by several criteria of the different programs that provide direct representation to in private custody matters through attorneys. Section III is a list of the programs of which we are aware that provide direct representation to in private custody matters through staff attorneys but not through attorneys. In addition, the Project has prepared an extensive Directory of the most relevant information provided to us by each program. The Project has included 22 data to the extent available. We have requested updated 22 data from the programs, and will update this Report once that information is complete.
Section I: Table 1- Programs with 21 Volunteer and 21 and Partial 22 Case Number
Table 1- Programs with 21/Incomplete 22 Numbers Program Location Contact Role Volunteer Cases 21 Volunteer Cases 22 21- No of Volunteers Who Took Case Comments Totals 884 69 Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, GAL Program Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation Children s Law Center (MI) Children s Law Center of Washington, D.C. Children s Law Center, Custody Advocate Program Children s Law Center, GAL Project (AZ) Children s Law Center, Inc (KY) Children s Law Project, (Hampden County MA) Franklin County Bar Association, Bar Advocates for Children Law Foundation of Prince George s County, MD Lawyers for Children, Inc Legal Advocates for Children & Youth Guardianship Project Legal Aid of East Tennessee (Southern) (incomplete) Atlanta GA Dan Bloom GAL 78 96 new 55 22 Mentor Minigrant Chicago IL Phillip Mohr GAL 22 22 Minigrant- added s to staff representation Grand Kevin Cronin Hybrid 6 closed 2 22 office closed Rapids MI Washington, Judith GAL 15 15 23 Minigrant-adding DC Sandlow (11/1-11/2) s to staff representation Charlotte Nadia GAL 7 8 7 NC Abdelazim Phoenix AZ Roni Tropper GAL 75 88 7 Covington KY Springfield MA Greenfield MA Karen Tapp GAL 2 2 1 22-3 Minigrants- add s to staff representation; work w/ law & sw schools, court Noreen Nardi Traditional 2 Christine Baronas Traditional Hyattsville MD Connie Lavelle GAL & Ch New York Karen - City NY Freedman Law Guardian San Jose CA Erin Scott Traditional Cleveland TN 15 15 (6/1-6/2) 3 3 29 642 2 15 22 Minigrant- mentoring 35 21 15 23 Minigrant- adding s to staff representation 2 Debra House GAL 23 Minigrant- adding representation for paternity, dv
Program Location Contact Role Legal Aid Society of Northwest North Carolina Legal Aid Society of Orange County Bar, Guardian Ad Litem Project Legal Services for Children, Inc (CA) Legal Services for Children, Inc (NYC) Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Services Multnomah Circuit Court, Children s Representative Project Na Keiki Law Center, Volunteer Legal Services HI Office of Child Advocate Volunteer Cases 21 Volunteer Cases 22 21 No of Volunteers Who Took Case Comments Winston Andrea Kurtz GAL 4 22 Minigrant- started Salem NC program, first appointment Nov Orlando FL Sue Khoury GAL 12 18 12 San Francisco CA Abigail Trillin Traditional 9 9 New York Warren - 4 1 City NY Sinsheimer Law Guardian Portland ME Ann Perillo GAL 44 25 new, 44 22 Minigrant-Best Practices 19 continuing and Mentoring Baltimore Winifred GAL & 8 Started program in 22 MD Borden Child Portland OR Heather Pool Traditional 2 22 replaced Oregon Law Center Program Honolulu HI Annabel Traditional 3, 23 Minigrant- Judicial training Murray 4 law student and awareness Wilmington Anne Pedrick GAL 24 71 27 DE Portland OR Lori Alton Traditional 18 Project ended 18 Project ended Spring 22 when Court began similar project. Los Angeles Virginia Weisz Traditional 4 4 CA Oregon Law Center Children s Representative Project Public Counsel, Children s Rights Project Put Something Back Miami FL Karen Ladis GAL 55 64 55 23- Minigrant-add dv custody rep Rocky Mountain Children s Denver CO Shari Shink Best Interest 149 71 22 Mentor Minigrant Law Center, Pro Bono 22 Ann Liechty Award Project Volunteer Support Center for Child Advocates Utah Office of GAL West Tennessee Legal Services Pro Bono Project Philadelphia PA Salt Lake City UT Jackson TN Frank Cervone Kristen Brewer Steve Xanthopoulos GAL/ Child s Hybrid GAL 75 89 5 23 Minigrant- post case evaluation 52 41 8 8 22 Minigrant-additional s & standards implementation
Section II- Comparison of Pro Bono Programs The Project has information on 3 programs nation-wide that connect attorneys with who need direct representation in private custody matters. (Only 28 of these programs are currently active as 2 closed in 22) In 21, 642 attorneys represented in 899 private custody cases through these programs. The following charts offer a comparison of these programs with information on: 1) Programs whose primary focus is pro bono representation-table 2 2) Programs with significant staff function as well as pro bono representation- Table 3 3) Role of the attorney representing the child, by program- Table 4 4) Program Partnerships/Connections- Table 5
Table 2- Programs whose Primary Focus is Pro Bono Program 21 Total Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation Children s Law Center (AZ) Children s Law Project (MA) Franklin County Bar Association Advocates (MA) Law Foundation of Prince George s County (MD) Representation 21 Pro Bono Representation 21 Volunteers who Represented Children 78 78 55 75 75 7 82 (s 2 2 paid by fund) 15 15 15 15 (first year, began 6/21 15 (first year, began 6/21) 15 (first year, began 6/21) Legal Aid Society of 12 12 12 Orange County Bar (FL) Legal Aid of NW North Carolina (added in 22) Maine Volunteer Lawyers 44 44 44 Project Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Services (added in 22) Oregon Law Center 18 18 18 (Replaced by Multnomah Circuit Court Program in 22) Put Something Back (FL) 55 55 55 Totals 394 332 34
Table 3-Programs with Pro Bono Volunteer and Staff Representation Program 21 Total Representation 21 Pro Bono Representation 21 Volunteers Who Represented Children Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation 1 (Added in 22) Children s Law Center Limited no. (D.C.) (Added in 22) Children s Law Center 79 6 2 (MI) (closed 22) Children s Law Center, 79 7 7 CAP (NC) Children s Law Center, 12 2 2 Inc (KY) (Added in 22) Lawyers for Children, Inc 7 3 2 (NYC) Legal Advocates for 58 29 21 Children and Youth (CA) Legal Aid of East Tennessee (Southern) (Adding in 23) Legal Services for 44 9 9 Children, Inc (CA) Na Keiki Law Center (HI) 3 (Adding in 23) Office of Child Advocate 34 24 27 (DE) Public Counsel s Office, 18 4 4 Children s Rights Project (CA) Rocky Mountain Children s Law Center (CO) 269 149 71 Support Center for Child 75+ 75 5 Advocates (PA) Utah Office of GAL 138 52 41 West Tennessee Legal Services Pro Bono Project 23 8 8 Totals 381 548 343
Table 4- Role of the Program Hybrid GAL Children s Law Project (MA) Franklin County Bar (MA) Law Foundation of Prince George s County MD* Lawyers for Children, Inc (NYC) Legal Advocates for Children & Youth (CA) Legal Services for Children, Inc (CA) Legal Services for Children, Inc (NY) Maryland Vol Lawyers Service* (began in 22) Oregon Law Center (Multnomah in 22) Public Counsel, Children s Rights Project (CA) # in 21 Program 2 Children s Law Center (MI) (closed) 15 Office of Child Advocate (DE) 15 Rocky Mountain Children s Law Center # in 21 Program 6 Atlanta Vol Lawyer Foundation 24 Chicago Vol Legal Serv Foundation (began in 22) 149 Children s Law Center (DC) (began 11/1) 3 Support Center for Child Advocates 5 Children s Law Center, CAP (NC) 29 Utah Office of GAL 52 Children s Law Center GAL (AZ) 9 Children s Law Center (KY) 4 Law Foundation of Prince George s County MD* Legal Aid Society of NW NC (began in 22) 18 Legal Aid Society Orange CTY (FL) 4 Maine Vol Lawyer Project Maryland Vol Lawyers Service (began in 22)* Put Something Back (FL) West Tennessee Legal Services # in 21 78 7 75 2 15 12 44 55 8 Total 18 Total 29 Total 369 Law Foundation of Prince George s County, MD and Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Services act as both GAL and Child s depending on the appointment. They did not provide separate numbers for each role.
Atlanta Volunteer Lawyer Foundation Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation Children s Law Center (MI) Children s Law Center (DC) Children s Law Center, Custody Advocates Program (NC) Children s Law Center (AZ) Children s Law Center (KY) Children s Law Project (MA) Franklin County Bar Association, Bar Advoacates for Children(MA) Law Foundation of Prince George s County (MD) Lawyers for Children (NY) Legal Advocates for Children and Youth Table 5- Program Partnership/Connections Law Bar Court Law Law Legal Type of Firm Association School Foundation Services Entity * * * Exclusively * (CA) * * Legal services through staff & Exclusively * Exclusively * * * Exclusively create involved in creation * Exclusively and * * Exclusively * * * * Project of County Bar * * Project of County Bar collaborate in training * * * * Legal services through staff & * * Exclusively * * Exclusively Other Began in 199 Had established panel; staff already did child custody representation. Open 21, close 22 Began in 1987 in response to specific problem- significant community cooperation Community organization connections Uses social work students as well Community Organizations Began 1995
Law Firm Bar Association Court Supported Law School Law Foundation Legal Services Type of Entity Other Legal Aid Society of Eastern Tennessee (Southern TN) Legal Aid Society, Northwest North Carolina (NC) Legal Aid Society of Orange Cty Florida Bar Association- GAL Legal Services for Children, Inc (CA) Legal Services for Children, Inc (NY) MaineVolunteer Lawyers Program * * * Legal Services through staff & * * Legal Services through staff & * Project of County Bar Exclusively Exclusively * * * Exclusively, affiliated with Pine Tree Legal Assistance Exclusively Court run Exclusively Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Foundation Multnomah County Circuit Court (OR), Children s Representative Project Na Keiki Law Center * * * Exclusively, affiliated with Volunteer Legal Services of Hawaii Community domestic violence agency Domestic Violence Advocacy Center Legal Services staff already did child custody representation Court began 22 Americorp s
Office of Child Advocate (DE) Oregon Law Center, Children s Representative Project Public Counsel, Children s Right Project (CA) Put Something Back (FL) Rocky Mountain Law Center (CO) Support Center for Child Advocates (PA) Law Firm Bar Association Women s Bar created Court Supported Family court created Law School Law Foundation Legal Services Type of Entity * Exclusively Legal aid by staff and * * Staff and Volunteer model, several child related projects * Judges help * * Volunteer, recruit several projects * * Exclusively and significant * * Exclusively and significant Utah Office of GAL * * Exclusively West Tennessee Legal Services * * Legal services through staff and s Other Legislatively created state agency Court was major recruiter and wanted experienced family lawyers- took over Formalized internship with law school Legislatively created state agency Totals 5 18 14 7 8 1 The exact nature of these connections varies by program. Because appointments as child s attorney or GAL are almost always at the discretion of the Court, the program s relationship with the relevant court system is particularly important.
Section III: Programs with Staff-only Representation
Staff Programs Staff only (no s) Represent Children in Custody Matters, Related to Divorce, Adoption, Guardianship, Never Marrieds &/or Civil Orders of Protection 1. ChildLaw Services, Inc Mary Ellen Griffith 165 Honaker Ave. Princeton, WV 2474 34-425-9973 34-487-5733 (fax) Email: childlaw@citlink.net 2. Children s Justice Center of El Paso, Texas Linda Y. Chew, Director of Legal Services 95 Noble St. El Paso, Texas 7992 915.542.129 915.544.78 (fax) Email: lchew@advocacyinc.org 3. Children s Law Center of Connecticut (Hartford, CT) Judy Hyde, Administrator 3 Arbor Street South Hartford, CT 616 86.232.9993 86.232.9996 8-law-door www.clcct.org jhyde@clcct.org 4. Children s Law Office (Oakland, CA) Carol Brill 415.868.1537 P.O. Box 298 Stinson Beach, Ca. 9497 (no email) 5. Kansas Legal Services, Inc. 712 S. Kansas, Ste. 2 Topeka, KS 6663 785.233.268 785.354.8311 (fax) Website: www.kansaslegalservices.org Project Director Ty Wheeler, Managing 527 Commercial, Ste. 521 Emporia, KS 6681 62.343.752 62.343.6898 (fax) Email:wheelert@klsinc.org 6. New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc. Patricia Kaplan 426 State Street New Haven, CN 651 23.498.9271 pkaplan@nhlegal.org 7. NYC Children s Law Center Carol Sherman, Executive Director 1 Boerum Place, 4 th Floor New York City, New York 1121 718.522.3333 x23 718.522.7376 (fax) csherman@clcny.org
8. New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children Steve Forrester, Asst Executive Director Kristin Aswad, Family Unit 161 Williams, 9 th New York City, NY 138 212.233.55 (main office) 212.791.785 x13 (Family Unit) 212.791.5227 (main fax) 212.791.2821 (Family Unit fax) 9. Pine Tree Legal Assistance Alison Beyea PO Box 547 Portland, ME 4112 27.774.4753 27.828.23 (fax) website: www.ptla.org abeyea@ptla.org 1. Youth Law Center (Des Moines, IA) Kathryn Miller, Exec. Dir. 218 6 th Ave, Suite 76 Des Moines, IA 539 515.244.1172 8.728.1172 kmiller@youthlawcenter.org