Sabrina DolsonHistory of the Children’s Attorneys Project
The Children’s Attorneys Project (CAP) was established in 1999 following a task force of child advocates, attorneys, social workers, a Nevada state senator, Clark County commissioner, and judges who recognized the need for independent legal representation for youth in the child welfare system. Until this time, Las Vegas was one of the last major metropolitan cities in the nation that did not provide legal counsel to advocate for the rights of children in foster care. We started with 1 attorney in 1999. Now 20 years later, we have grown to 26 CAP attorneys. Our CAP team not only advocates for their youthful clients in court, but they also advocate for systemic changes to improve outcomes across the board. Examples include the enactment of the Foster Child Bill of Rights, a Foster Youth Sibling Bill of Rights, Voluntary Jurisdiction (AB 350), Right to Counsel (SB 305), and most recently, Right to an Educational Decision Maker (AB 156). CAP has also created books for children of all ages in foster care and an education advocacy program that promotes the educational rights of children with disabilities and special needs.
In July 2018, we launched #CAP100 with the goal of recruiting even more volunteers to be the voice of a child in court. In December 2018, during our 18th Annual Pro Bono Awards Luncheon, one of our pro bono CAP attorneys, Mona Kaveh, Esq., surprised us by announcing a challenge to the legal community. Mona’s firm, Kemp, Jones & Coulthard, agreed to donate up to $45,000 to Legal Aid Center if CAP cases were taken off of the pro bono waiting list by the end of the year. The legal community stepped up and rose to the challenge! For her long standing efforts as an outstanding pro bono attorney and child advocate, Mona was recently awarded the 2019 Pro Bono Publico Award by the American Bar Association. In August 2019, CAP is honored to receive the inaugural Outstanding Children’s Law Office Award from the National Association of Counsel for Children. CAP will continue to grow as there are more and more children coming into the Clark County foster care system every day. We will need the help of volunteer attorneys in our local community to provide these children with guidance and legal advocacy during this time when they have been removed from their home and possibly separated from siblings. If you are an attorney and you wish to help, please contact Noah Malgeri, Esq., Pro Bono Project Director at 702-386-1429 or complete the online enrollment form: http://www.lacsnprobono.org/volunteer-today/pro-bono-project-volunteer-enrollment-form/
#CAP100 Heroes
Special thanks to these firms and attorneys who have selected a CAP case to help us reach our goal:
Firms that have agreed to take 10 or more CAP cases.
Individual Attorneys who have taken at least one CAP case.
- Alayne Opie
- Amanda Ireland
- Amy M. Wilson
- Anat R. Levy
- Andrew Kynaston
- Ashlie Surur
- Atif Sheikh
- Audrey J. Beeson
- Ayesha R. Mehdi
- Ben Childs
- Benjamin Carman
- Bradley S. Schrager
- Bradley S. Slighting
- Branden Kartchner
- Brandi Planet
- Brenoch R. Wirthlin
- Brian Blakley
- Brian Blaylock
- Brittany Llewellyn
- Brittnie Watkins
- Bryce K. Kunimoto
- Bryce C. Loveland
- Caleb Langsdale
- Cara Brumfield
- Carlos A. Morales
- Carmen Amen
- Carrie Primas
- Chad C. Butterfield
- Charlene N. Renwick
- Christian Z. Smith
- Christopher Tilman
- Daniel E. Curriden
- Daniel Stewart
- Darren J. Welsh
- David F. Sampson
- Dawn M. Lozano
- Dean Jason Ferris
- Deanna Molinar
- Debra L. Spinelli
- Donna DiMaggio
- Edward R. Miley
- Elizabeth C. Spaur
- Eunice M. Beattie
- Gregory R. Kerr
- Ilan Acherman
- James D. Boyle
- Jared F. Herling
- Jeffrey R. Hall
- Jennifer Golanics
- Jennifer K. Hostetler
- Jennifer M.K. Willis
- Joanna Medrano
- John L. Krieger
- Jon M. Ludwig
- Josh M. Reid
- Kegan Monks
- Kelly Dove
- Kerry E. Kleiman
- Kimberly M. Abbott
- Kory L. Kaplan
- Kristopher Pre
- Lisa Rasmussen
- Lorien K. Cole
- Lynn Fulstone
- Maren Parry
- Marilyn Anne Caston
- Marisa Rodriguez
- Matt Tsai
- Matthew B. Beckstead
- Matthew S. Carter
- Megan Dorsey
- Micaela Moore
- Michael D. Falater
- Michael D. Rawlins
- Michele L. Roberts
- Michelle L. Anderton
- Mona Kaveh
- Nancy Prince
- Nancy R. Snow
- Nicole Lovelock
- Paul D. Ballou
- Rachel R. Silverstein
- Rachel Wise
- Renee Cooper
- Richard F. Holley
- Rikki J. Hevrin
- Robert A. Ryan
- Robert Schmidt
- Rochelle Harding-Roed
- Rory Kay
- Royi Moas
- Sabrina Dolson
- Sandra Robertson
- Sean D. Cooney
- Sean Forbush
- Shane Young
- Shea A. Backus
- Stephanie A. Charter
- Stephen J. Dahl
- Stephen Swinton
- Steven J. Mack
- Steven M. Rogers
- Thomas W. Askeroth
- Tiffany Ballenger Floyd
- Trevor J. Hatfield
- William Michael Horvath
- William P. Curran
Read more stories of the children who need your help now.
News
Noah Malgeri, Pro Bono Director, shares efforts to close the gap in legal representation for youth in Clark County’s foster care system. FOX5 Vegas – KVVU
Fox5 Vegas-KVVU Article – Valley lawyers volunteer to help foster kids
KNPR Interview – Barbara Buckley, Executive Director, Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada Elliot Brittan, UNLV student
Click here to listen to the interview and read the article.
Public News Service – Listen to former client speak about her Pro Bono attorney Wayne Hardy.
Click here to read the article.
Upcoming Events
This seminar is for attorneys who would like to represent children in foster care. You will learn the role of a children’s attorney and receive an overview of the court proceedings and processes involved in dependency cases. You will obtain guidance on building an effective client relationship; learn about permanency planning; be able to counsel older clients on options available for “aging out” of foster care; and so much more. *Lunch will be provided*
FREE! All attorneys must take ONE NEW abuse/neglect pro bono case through the Pro Bono Project in advance of the CLE or at the door. Select a case at www.lacsnprobono.org
Register here.
This seminar is for attorneys who would like to represent children in foster care. You will learn the role of a children’s attorney and receive an overview of the court proceedings and processes involved in dependency cases. You will obtain guidance on building an effective client relationship; learn about permanency planning; be able to counsel older clients on options available for “aging out” of foster care; and so much more. *Lunch will be provided*
Cost: FREE! All attorneys must take ONE NEW abuse/neglect pro bono case through the Pro Bono Project in advance of the CLE or at the door. Select a case at www.lacsnprobono.org.
Register here.
Speakers:
Kimberly Abbott, Esq., Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
Candace Barr, Esq., Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
http://www.lacsnprobono.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAP-Basics-CLE-Flyer-11.16.18.pdf
This seminar is for attorneys who would like to represent children in foster care. You will learn the role of a children’s attorney and receive an overview of the court proceedings and processes involved in dependency cases. You will obtain guidance on building an effective client relationship; learn about permanency planning; be able to counsel older clients on options available for “aging out” of foster care; and so much more.
Speakers:
Kimberly Abbott, Esq., Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
Amy Honodel, Esq., Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
Cost: FREE! All attorneys must take ONE NEW abuse/neglect pro bono case through the Pro Bono Project in advance of the CLE or at the door. Select a case at www.lacsnprobono.org.
Register here.
http://www.lacsnprobono.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/CAP-Intro-CLE-Flyer-12.14.18.pdf