WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11, 2013 — Leading children’s rights advocates from Washington state and across the country will highlight the need for abused and neglected youth to have their own lawyers in child welfare court proceedings during a media briefing on June 20. The briefing will be hosted by the American Bar Association Section of Litigation and the University of Washington School of Law. 

The media briefing is in advance of “Fostering Justice: Third National Conference on the Right to Counsel for Abused and Neglected Children,” occurring the next day at William H. Gates Hall on the campus of the University of Washington. 

Conference sponsors expect that the invitation-only symposium will build consensus around what lawyers can do to achieve better results for children, what the outcomes of past studies demonstrate and what research is still needed. 

Sessions at the conference will focus on messaging to various audiences, an overview of related litigation and legislation around the country, a myth-busting exercise highlighting misunderstandings about lawyers and children, and a mock appellate argument. The conference will also host a parallel symposium for current and former foster youth, taking advantage of their direct experience in the foster care system. 

“Fostering Justice” follows the national conferences “Raising Our Hands: Creating a National Strategy for Children’s Right to Education and Counsel” at the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago in 2009 and “Improving Outcomes for Children” at the Nova Southeastern University Law Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in 2012. The latter conference emphasized implementing the ABA Model Act Governing the Representation of Children in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Proceedings. 

What: Media briefing in advance of “Fostering Justice: Third National Conference on the Right to Counsel for Abused and Neglected Children” 

When: Thursday, June 20, 5 p.m. 

Who: Speaking and answering questions will be Angela Vigil of Baker McKenzie LLP in Miami, Fla., a member of the ABA Section of Litigation Children’s Rights Litigation Committee Working Group; Washington state Rep. Roger Goodman; former Washington state Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge, president of the Center for Children Youth Justice; a current foster youth speaker; and Casey Trupin, coordinating attorney for the Children and Youth Project at Columbia Legal Services in Seattle. 

Where: Navigant Consulting                  27^th floor conference room                  1201 Third Ave.                  Seattle, WA 98101 

For media registration, please contact Al Leeds at al.leeds@americanbar.org or at 202-662-1037. 

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