Steering Committee on the Unmet
Legal Needs of Children

Legal Pro Bono Opportunities on Behalf of Children

A joint project of the
ABA Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children
and the ABA Section of Litigation Children's Law Committee

Updated January 20, 2000

Introduction
In August 1999, the ABA Section of Litigation Children's Law Committee (formerly the Task Force on Children) published its fourth edition of A Directory of Pro Bono Children's Law Programs. The Directory lists child advocacy programs across the nation, including volunteer projects, law school clinics, and resource centers. The Directory has been very successful in linking volunteers, child advocates, and those wishing to create a children's program with one another.

Because of the success of the Directory, the Children's Law Committee, along with the Steering Committee on the Unmet Legal Needs of Children, created this webpage to serve lawyers interested in working on behalf of children on a full, part-time or volunteer basis. We began by providing an abridged version of the Directory online, and now are pleased to offer the full Directory. Lawyers can now review all listings from their state and identify those that provide volunteer opportunities for lawyers interested in pro bono legal opportunities on behalf of children. The Directory provides the names, addresses, and contacts of organizations across the country, and identifies the programs needing volunteers, whether lawyers or law students. The entries also include the types of cases in which volunteers are needed.

How to access the full Directory

To access the information on pro bono legal opportunities, download the directory and then perform a search within the document using the name of your state.

Download the Directory in Adobe™ Acrobat™ format
To find a particular state or program in Acrobat™ Reader™, use the large binocular icon (that comes up with the document) and type your keyword(s). To continue to find the same keyword(s) use the small binocular icon with curved arrow above it.

Get the free Adobe™Acrobat™Reader

We want this listing to remain as current and as complete as possible. So, if you know of an organization that should be included or if you have new information to update/change the listing of your organization (including a website address), please e-mail, call, or fax us the information to Catherine Krebs, at CatherinKrebs@prodigy.net, phone (202) 547-3060, or fax: (202) 547 3064.

If your city or town is not included
Your city or town may not have an organization listed. If so, do not give up but consider making an additional effort to locate a pro bono opportunity on behalf of children in your area. One suggestion is to contact your state or local bar association and ask about volunteer projects. Another is to get in touch with a homeless or domestic violence shelter and offer your services on behalf of children or families with children. Contact your local legal services/aid office to determine if they have volunteer opportunities. A local law school clinic (of which some are listed here) may be aware of other volunteer projects in the area. Finally, your city or county may have a Court Appointed Special Advocate ("CASA") program, where individuals represent children in abuse and neglect proceedings. (The website of the national CASA organization is www.nationalcasa.org.)

Join the Children's Law Committee
Another way to become active in children's issues is to join the newly created Children's Law Committee of the Section of Litigation. The Committee's purpose is to inspire and assist lawyers to undertake direct pro bono representation of children and to support and multiply the number, range, and quality of children's legal projects. For more information, call Catherine Krebs, at (202) 547-3060, or visit the Committee's website at www.abanet.org/litigation/committee/childrens_l/childlawchrmss.html .

Links with other ABA entities with an interest in children's issues

*Please note that other ABA entities address children's issues. The above listed entities, however, focus extensively on issues affecting children.

Thank you for considering helping a child.