The Children's Law Podcast

In this episode, John, Jim and Angela discuss legal strategies and practices to move your cases forward. While access to courts varies greatly around the country, there are plenty of ways you can help your clients. We are planning to record new episodes weekly to address advocacy during the pandemic, and we would love to hear from you. Let us know what topics would be helpful to you during this ti...

In this episode, Angela and John talk with Kristen Pisani-Jacques, Training Director at the National Association of Counsel for Children. The NACC is hosting regular webinars regarding the response of children’s lawyers to the COVID-19 pandemic. We cover some of the most actionable ideas so you can put them to work right away.   The NACC also has a resource hub that has many resources for children...

In this episode, we wrap up Season One by picking our favorite takeaways, and introducing you to Season Two. We recognize that many of you are struggling to provide representation to your clients in this difficult time. We are working on an episode to give you strategies for now, but we know this will come to an end. And with a likely increase in cases coming our way, strategies to get children ho...

In our first episodes of 2020, we have a two part series with Judge Scott Bernstein. Judge Bernstein has served as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami for over 22 years. His passion is working with children and families, and he has become a regular keynote speaker in the area of implicit bias. In this episode, Judge Berstein explains implicit bias, how it affects us all, and what we can do about it. 

In our first episode of 2020, we have a two part series with Judge Scott Bernstein. Judge Bernstein has served as a Circuit Court Judge in Miami for over 22 years. His passion is working with children and families, and he has become a regular keynote speaker in the area of implicit bias. In this episode, Judge Berstein explains implicit bias, how it affects us all, and what we can do about it. 

In this episode, Angela and Bill reveal a secret—that advocating a parent’s position can in fact facilitate the quick achievement of permanency. For example, a child’s attorney ensuring a parent is promptly referred to providers will help determine whether the case plan’s services can be timely achieved.   Advocating for the parent  is, of course, in the name of your client—the removed child.  By...

In this two part series, Angela and Bill interview Leslie Starr Heimov , Executive Director of the Children's Law Center of California . CLC is the largest children's law office in the country, representing about 33,000 children at any given time. In Part One, we talk with Leslie about caseloads, innovative practices and funding models, and strategies to keep children at home. For more information...

In this two part series, Angela and Bill interview Leslie Starr Heimov , Executive Director of the Children's Law Center of California .  CLC is the largest children's law office in the country, representing about 33,000 children at any given time. In Part One, we talk with Leslie about caseloads, innovative practices and funding models, and strategies to keep children at home.  We appreciate all...

In this episode, Angela and Bill interview Kim Dvorchak, executive director of the National Association of Counsel for Children. Kim talks with us about The Children’s Law Office Project, member resources, and NACC’s vision for the future. Here are a few links for you: NACC Website:  https://www.naccchildlaw.org/ Link to join: Join here ! Family First Resource are here . We enjoyed meeting all of...

Did you know that one in five children in the child welfare system identify as LBGTQ+? In this two part episode, Angela and Bill interview Currey Cook . Currey is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel of the National Headquarters of Lambda Legal in New York. He co-authored Safe Havens: Closing the Gap Between Recommended Practice for Transgender and Gender-Expansive You...

Did you know that one in five children in the child welfare system identify as LBGTQ+? In this two part episode, Angela and Bill interview Currey Cook . Currey is the Director of the Youth in Out-of-Home Care Project and Counsel of the National Headquarters of Lambda Legal in New York. He co-authored Safe Havens: Closing the Gap Between Recommended Practice for Transgender and Gender-Expansive You...

In this episode, Angela talks with Bill about how he has continued to thrive in his children’s law practice. Bill's suggestions have worked for him and we think they can work for you too. Let us know what you think about this podcast. You can email us at info@childrenslaw.org. You can also meet us at the NACC Conference in Anaheim on August 27th where we are presenting on how children's lawyers ca...

The four of us are back together to share tips on how to speak with your child clients. The number one question we get from new attorneys, and sometimes experienced attorneys, is how to communicate with our child clients. The ethics rules require us to treat our child clients close to the same as we treat our adult clients. However, we need to recognize the maturity of our clients. We don’t approa...

In this two part episode, retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente reflects on her career as a leading judicial voice for the protection and enhancement of the legal rights of children and their corresponding need for emotional stability. While on the bench, she supported the establishment of processes that would minimize the trauma children suffer when removed from their families. S...

In this two part episode, retired Florida Supreme Court Justice Barbara Pariente reflects on her career as a leading judicial voice for the protection and enhancement of the legal rights of children and their corresponding need for emotional stability. While on the bench, she supported the establishment of processes that would minimize the trauma children suffer when removed from their families. S...

In this episode, Jim interviews Oscar® winners Deborah Oppenheimer and Mark Jonathan Harris about the new HBO documentary “Foster” which begins airing Tuesday, May 7 at 8:00pm. The documentary offers insights from children’s lawyers and others in its presentation to upend the myths of foster care. It also highlights the work of the Children's Law Center of California.

BOOM! That quick trip to permanency just came to a screeching halt—for a reason you didn’t expect. Or one you chose to ignore. Instead, it’s now a very long and arduous journey causing emotional harm to your client. In this podcast, we review a few of the most common obstacles to getting your client to permanency within the legal time frame. You will learn some of the solutions we have used succes...

The problem most children’s lawyers face is having enough time to do what needs to be done to help all of our clients. High caseloads, lack of support, and backed-up dockets are just some of the stoppers we have all experienced in representing all of our clients effectively and ethically. In this podcast, we talk specifics about one of the solutions to this most vexing conundrum. By keeping your f...

What is a family? There’s a fear that when our clients turn 18, they will learn that the families they thought they had, do not exist. There was never an emotional connection. There was only a legal one. The heartbreak of this discovery sends a young adult into the world with no emotional or practical support. Despite a child’s reliance on a parent never truly ending, we send many a child into the...

In this episode, the hosts discuss five common mistakes that are made by children's lawyers. This is primarily a discussion about the relationship between the lawyer and the child, and the ways we inadvertently undermine our efforts.

In this episode, Angela Orkin and Melissa Carter discuss an exciting new federal funding opportunity for children's lawyers.

In this episode, Angela, Bill, Jim and John will discuss the impacts of separating children from their families, and legal strategies to protect clients who must be removed from their parents.

A discussion of five foundational practice points that every children’s lawyer should know. These are practical actions that, while easy to overlook, can make a big difference in your advocacy and your relationship with your client.

This episode is a brief introduction to the hosts and the show.