The Legal Aid Society ensures the health and welfare of New York City’s children in courtrooms and communities. For over 50 years, the Juvenile Rights Practice has tenaciously defended the rights, needs, and interests of 90 percent of the children who appear in Family Courts in New York City on Child Welfare, Parental Rights, PINS, and Juvenile Delinquency matters.

The Juvenile Rights Practice specializes in meeting the unique legal needs of this population, with over 200 experts working with over 34,000 children each year to address the traumatic and emotionally charged cases affecting our clients and their families. As trusted confidants and advocates, our attorneys for children, social workers, paralegals, and investigators provide comprehensive representation while navigating multiple systems and challenges affecting our clients.

In addition to direct client representation, we continue to partner with law firms to bring impact litigation aimed at system-wide abuses within the juvenile justice, child welfare, and educational systems. Through our efforts to defend the rights, needs, and interests of our clients, we drive systemic changes and policy reforms in New York.