The Children’s Law Center trains and supports private attorneys to work with maltreated children and their families. Our volunteer attorneys are more than just volunteers. They are superheroes to us and the abused children they save.

Denver Prevention Partnership -- Denver Prevention Partnership is a joint program with the Denver Department of Human Services (DDHS).  Volunteer attorneys represent families who have sought help from the DDHS.  The attorneys work to prevent the placement of children into foster care.  Attorneys collaborate with DDHS workers and other community providers to secure a home for the children within their family unit or their community.

Attorney responsibilities include:

• Volunteer to take a case requiring a minimal amount of time for two to six months.
• Develop a relationship with the family through monthly meetings.
• Advise the caregiver on matters, e.g. allocation of parental responsibilities, guardianship, housing issues, recovering legal documents, etc.
• Help develop and implement a service plan that addresses the family’s needs.

Domestic Violence Program: Representing Child Victims of Domestic Violence -- The Domestic Violence Program works within the Denver County Protective Orders Court. Volunteer attorneys are appointed to serve as the child legal representative (guardian ad litem) for children whose parent is seeking a civil protective order against the other parent.  Attorneys investigate a case and make a recommendation to the Court about which parent should have care and control and what parenting time orders (visitation) are appropriate.

Attorney responsibilities include:

Youth Advocacy Clinic -- The Youth Advocacy Clinic is a partnership with Urban Peak that provides legal representation, information and education to Colorado ’s homeless and at-risk youth. Issues addressed include education, employment, immigration, civil rights, etc. Volunteer attorneys are needed to staff the Clinic a few hours each week alongside a Children’s Law Center attorney at Urban Peak ’s Downtown location. The Children’s Law Center provides volunteers with extensive training, on-site support, and malpractice coverage.

Foster Parent Representation -- The Children’s Law Center receives an enormous number of phone calls from foster parents across Colorado who have nowhere else to turn. They have developed deep emotional ties with their foster children and are concerned that no one is advocating for these children. These foster parents call us to learn about their legal rights in regard to a specific situation e.g. adoption assistance, handling of investigations and complaints, objecting to social services plan, the immediate removal of their foster children, etc.  The Children’s Law Center trains foster parents across the state, but we do not have the resources to provide actual representation and must rely on the services of private firms and attorneys to do so. If you or your firm is interested in taking one of these cases, please contact Melissa Parent at pmelissa@law.du.edu.

Crisis Calls -- The Children's Law Center saves the lives of hundreds of abused and neglected children across Colorado each year, yet we receive thousands of Crisis Calls from children and adults seeking our services. Unfortunately, we only have the resources to respond to the most urgent cases and handle fewer than 20% of the Crisis Calls we receive. It is only with the assistance of dedicated volunteer attorneys that we can ever hope to reach all those children who ask for our help. If you or your firm is interested in taking one of these cases, please contact Melissa Parent at pmelissa@law.du.edu.

Paralegal Programs -- Paralegal support is needed to assist in our Domestic Violence, Prevention Partnership and other programs.  Please contact Melissa Parent at pmelissa@law.du.edu for more information.