State Guardian ad Litem Program, Law Firm Partnership Commits to Safeguarding Legal Rights of Youth
Dec 19, 2005
ST. PAUL, MN (December 19, 2005) – The Minnesota Supreme Court's Guardian ad Litem (GAL) program is teaming up with the law firm of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. to provide legal representation to Guardians ad Litem who are acting as child advocates in contested cases involving abused and neglected children.
Guardians ad Litem serve three primary functions: (1) they gather information for the court; (2) they make recommendations to the court concerning the child's best interests; and (3) they advocate for speedy decisions to minimize any adverse impact on the child due to delays.
Since GALs are parties to a legal proceeding involving a child, they need legal representation. Attorneys representing GALs assist them in gathering and providing the necessary information to the court. However, given the state's limited resources and considering that GALs represented more than 13,000 maltreated children in 2004, the state cannot always afford to pay for GAL legal representation.
The Minneapolis office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. has offered to help fill this gap, which will enhance the prospects of securing a safe, permanent, and loving home for each abused child as quickly as possible. Approximately 40 attorneys have signed up to participate, including about 15 partners.
"The generosity of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. will greatly expand our ability to advocate for kids," said Mark Toogood, Manager of the State Guardian ad Litem Program. "The initiative will be focused initially in the First and Tenth Judicial Districts, but may go statewide from there as we expand. The counties involved from the start are Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Isanti, Kanabec, LeSueur, McLeod, Pine, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Washington, and Wright."
The partnership with the state’s Guardian ad Litem program is part of the Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Youth Law Initiative, a firm-wide pro bono project devoted to safeguarding the legal rights of children and teens. Through this program, the firm's attorneys ensure that children and teens have access to the justice system and receive the legal protection and benefits to which they are entitled. Each office of the firm has created its own Youth Law Initiative project tailored to meet the needs of the local community.