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Advocating For Children's Rights

About Our Practice

Since 1997, The Children's Law Center has represented more than 100,000 children in New York City court proceedings. CLC attorneys listen carefully to our clients, help them understand their options, and vigorously protect their rights to a safe, secure, and supportive home and family connections.

Our Approach

Over the course of our history as a law firm, CLC has grown from two tireless advocates into a team of attorneys, social workers, paralegals, support staff and volunteers, all of whom work together and utilize a comprehensive and supportive approach toward representing children. Both the legal and social work staff receive intensive and specialized training on the issues involved in representing children. These topics include child development and interviewing skills, the effect of separation and divorce upon parents and children, the dynamics and impact upon children of domestic violence and child abuse, and the appropriate use of alternative dispute resolution. Training also includes trial advocacy skills, ethics, and negotiation techniques.

We help children at the center of disputes involving:

  • Custody
  • Visitation
  • Abuse & Neglect
  • Termination of Parental Rights
  • Domestic Violence
  • Child Protective Services
  • Paternity
  • Child Support
  • Guardianship
  • Adoption
  • Voluntary Foster Care Placement
  • Persons in Need of Supervision


Three Kids

Trial and Appellate Practice

The Children’s Law Center's trial attorneys meet with their clients and investigate the cases in preparation for providing zealous representation. CLC writing attorneys partner with their trial colleagues on complex motions. The team responds and argues all of CLC’s appeals. Equally as important, they provide the child with a voice that might otherwise remain unheard. The leadership of CLC is proud that we provide comprehensive representation of our child clients. CLC's focus is on the issues that surround a child during a court proceeding. However, we are always poised to assist our clients on issues outside of court that impede the resolution of a court matter.

Social Work

Social work is a critical component of our interdisciplinary approach. Social workers assess various aspects of our client's situations and collaborate with attorneys and other advocates to determine the best strategy for clients based on their needs. They then work as part of the advocate team on behalf of our clients.  Our social workers support our clients, explain their struggles, and encourage just results. Because of their participation, our clients are able to obtain better outcomes in and out of the courtroom.

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