1254 Market St. 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: 415.863.3762
Fax: 415.863.7708
In 1975 Legal Services for Children was founded as the first free, comprehensive group practice of private attorneys teamed with caseworkers for youth law in America. An attorney with the Prison Law Project, Carole Brill, saw that most inmates had juvenile court experience and thought that juvenile representation would be an effective way to try to change this trend. Thus, she sought to establish a law firm that would represent children in day-to-day hearings, not impact litigation.
Since 1975 LSC's goals have been threefold: effective advocacy for minors in juvenile court/runaway and abuse and neglect cases; effective representation of minors in school discipline, special education, mental health, and benefits hearings; and presentation of legal alternatives to juvenile justice and court systems.
These goals are routinely carried out through litigation and community awareness programs. Moreover, to facilitate its mission, three projects have been established—special education, guardianships, and child sexual abuse victims.
Its staff of nine includes three attorneys. Volunteer counsel assist them in about 10 percent of their cases. Student interns also provide useful help. The LSC's annual budget is about a quarter of a million dollars annually, with 40 percent coming from foundations and 40 percent from various governmental sources; 80 percent of that budget is allocated to litigation.
Because the LSC does not generally engage in impact litigation, much of its activities take place at the trial court level where "most of the decisions which have real effect on children's lives are made and are seldom appealable." It prefers to litigate in federal court, however, because it is more "organized," but that forum is not often suitable.
Cases come to its attention from clients, family, former clients, and community agencies. Presently, it accepts any case involving a non-fee-generating issue where a minor has an articulable position, if he or she is qualified. It routinely cooperates with family and youth service agencies and Legal Services for the Elderly* in guardianship matters.
