Our Practice Model
Centering the child’s voice
Since 1997, the Children’s Law Center (CLC) has provided dedicated legal advocacy for children navigating the complexities of Family Court.
Our practice model is built on a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that strives to make every child’s voice heard. We prioritize the protection of children’s rights and their well-being, both inside and outside the courtroom.
CLC is assigned by judges in the Family Court and Integrated Domestic Violence Parts in New York City to represent children. Our attorneys, social workers, paralegals, and operations staff work collaboratively to provide trauma-informed, child-focalized representation. We handle cases involving custody, visitation, guardianship, domestic violence, and child protective matters, with care, attention, and rigor.
We are attuned to how these decisions in the courtroom directly impact the future of New York City youth – and our research-driven practice model supports thousands of children every year.
CLC is the first and only legal services nonprofit in New York City exclusively dedicated to representing children in Family Court in matters of custody, visitation, etc. Our legal and social work staff receive intensive, specialized training on topics including child development, interviewing skills, family dynamics, trial advocacy, ethics, and alternative dispute resolution.
Why CLC’s model works
- We represent children exclusively – not parents, guardians, agencies
- We use an interdisciplinary model – pairing attorneys and social workers to provide holistic representation
- We take on complex cases – including precedent-setting appellate advocacy that shapes New York family law
- We are committed to trauma informed care – understanding and addressing the impact of court involvement on children
Types of Cases
- Custody & Visitation
- Guardianship & Adoption
- Domestic Violence & Family Offense
- Abuse & Neglect
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)
- Parentage and Child Support
- Voluntary Foster Care Placement
- Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS)
Our attorneys are appointed by Family Court judges to represent children in cases in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx.
Our Advocacy Practice
At CLC, we believe that legal representation should center the choices and feelings of the client, even if—and especially when—they are a child. Our approach includes:
Listening to our clients
Zealous representation
Appellate support
Social work support
Policy & legislative advocacy
Social Work
CLC’s social workers play a critical role in our representation model. In many cases, a child’s legal needs are closely tied to their mental health, education, housing, and safety. Our social workers give our young clients the support they need outside of court in navigating difficult transitions and securing vital resources—helping us achieve better outcomes, broadly.
Our social workers collaborate with attorneys to assess each client’s unique situation, advocate for their education and mental health needs, and in explaining their struggles, ensure our client’s voices are the center of legal strategy and decisions.
Unlike other social workers in the system, our social workers are not mandated reporters, meaning they do not have to automatically report concerns to child welfare agencies. This allows children to speak freely and receive support from our social work team without fear of state intervention.
Fighting for systemic change
Our commitment to children’s futures goes beyond the thousands of cases we take on every year. Through litigation, appeals, and policy advocacy, CLC fights for broader changes in the Family Court system that protect children’s rights and improve legal outcomes.
Our policy & advocacy work focuses on:
- Expanding access to legal representation for children in Family Court
- Advocating for better legal protections in domestic violence and custody disputes
- Challenging systemic inequities in family law through impact litigation
- Training & mentoring pro-bono attorneys to increase legal support for children
Our future
As CLC continues to grow, we are committed to strengthening our legal advocacy, expanding social work services, and making certain that the youth of New York City have access to the support they deserve.
Please consider contributing to our cause today.