Careers in Children's Law
Graduates of the University of Michigan Law School have played a prominent role in the development of children's law in the past thirty years. They have left the law school to establish some of the leading children's law offices in the country, to issue landmark decisions in the field as jurists or to challenge policies and practices harmful to children as advocates. Our alumni have led the fight to create a better future for at-risk children and their families.
Law students also apply for and receive national fellowships such as the Skadden and Equal Justice Works Fellowships to fund post-graduate work in the area. Close mentoring inthe application process isprovided by the Office of Public Service. Additionally, recent graduates have also accepted attorney positions at organizations such as The Children's Law Center of D.C., Legal Aid-Juvenile Rights Division in NY, and the Juvenile Law Center.
Child Law and Public Interest Fellowships
There are several child law and public interest fellowships offered within the law school as well as outside organizations. Below are links for information regarding some of these fellowships:
Useful Links
Certification of Lawyers as Specialists in Child Welfare Law
Between 2002 and 2007, Michigan Law School, in partnership with the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) and with support from a grant from the U.S. Children's Bureau, defined a brand new legal specialty of "child welfare law," achieved form recognition of the specialty from the American Bar Association, and launched the NACC Child Welfare Law Specialty Certification program. Don Duquette was co-director of the National Association of Counsel for Children's national project to certify lawyers as specialists in child welfar law. The new certification program is intended to recognize the very best children's lawyers and requires a careful screening, substantial involvement in the field (30% or more of the lawyer's time spend in child welfare) and passing a challenging four hour national examiantion in child welfare law. In 2006, the first Child Welfare Law Specialists (CWLS) were recognized. Both Vivek Sankaran and Frank Vandervort are credentialed as CWLS. Duquette, the slacker, is not. Somebody had to write the national examation. The NACC is steadily and systemically making the certification program available across the nation.
For a summary of the NACC Certification Program, read Duquette, Kiddie Law Is Growing Up: Board Certification in Child Welfare Law.
For more information, to download official certification materials and to check on the availability of NACC child welfare law certfication in your jurisdiction, go to the NACC website: http://www.naccchildlaw.org/?page=Certification.
Child Welfare Law and Practice: Representing Children, Parents and State Agencies in Abuse, Neglect and Dependency Proceedings (Bradford Legal Publishers, May 2005), defines the scope and duties of a brand new legal specialty in child welfare law and prepares experienced lawyers for a national certifying examination.
Employment Resources
NACC Career Center