CHILDRENS LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA
Because the smallest voice in the courtroom should be the loudest.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We ensure that children in the Minnesota child protection system who are legally entitled to an attorney have representation that is often overlooked. The core work of CLC is to recruit, train and support volunteer attorneys to represent and support foster care youth. In 2021, CLC represented more than 700 child clients. Our growing team of 320 active volunteer attorneys who provide pro bono legal representation, spend approximately 16-20 hours annually on a typical case. With CLC staff support, the volunteer attorneys have the resources and training to empower their clients to voice their opinions as they navigate the child protection system.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Legal Representation and Advocacy for Children and Youth in Foster Care
CLC provides direct representation to 800+ youth in foster care (ages 10+) primarily in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. We are appointed by the courts to ensure the rights of Minnesota's abused and neglected children are protected. Our staff and volunteer attorneys represent the expressed wishes of the child client in the courtroom, allowing them to have a voice in what happens with their lives. CLC staff attorneys train local attorneys and supports them as they generously donate their time and resources so we can reach more children.
Advocacy for Systematic Change
We advocate for legislation regarding children’s rights and engage in systematic reform benefiting all of Minnesota's foster children.
Where we work
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Legal Representation and Advocacy for Children and Youth in Foster Care
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We train volunteer attorneys to represent children in foster care. This number represents active volunteer counsel.
Number of foster care youth represented.
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Legal Representation and Advocacy for Children and Youth in Foster Care
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Number of foster youth who completed high school or equivalency
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Legal Representation and Advocacy for Children and Youth in Foster Care
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This number is the overall percentage of our child clients (that were seniors) who finished high school. The national average is 31%.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
To promote the rights and interests of Minnesota's children in the judicial, child welfare, health care, and education systems through direct legal representation, advocacy, and education. We represent children at their most vulnerable time to ensure they have a voice in the courtroom.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Direct Representation: Our team of staff attorneys, along with our trained volunteer counsel represent children in the child protection system to ensure they have a voice in the courtroom.
Advocacy: CLC actively participates in local coalitions and initiatives to advocate for systemic changes and improvements that better serve at-risk and foster care youth. As the only private advocacy organization with specific legal expertise on children's rights in Minnesota, many organizations look to us as a trusted legal resource to research and identify solutions to address issues affecting at-risk youth. CLC has been successful in influencing policy and changes in the law on the county and state levels.
Education: CLC creates and distributes materials designed to help foster care youth understand their rights related to housing, employment, voting, health-related matters, and credit card and consumer rights and responsibilities at schools, shelters, and community organizations that work with at-risk youth.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our highly skilled staff attorneys provide expert oversight to our team of trained volunteer attorneys to effectively represent Minnesota youth in the child protection system.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Each year, we represent more children and train more attorneys to meet that need. In 2017, we represented 840 children- more than double the number of clients since 2010. We expect to represent over 900 child clients in 2018 and we are working diligently to raise the dollars and find the volunteers to meet that demand. Last year, because of our leadership, McKenna's Law unanimously passed the Minnesota Senate and House and was signed into law by the Governor. The law—named for McKenna Ahrenholz, a 12 year old who spoke up about Minnesota's foster children's right to a lawyer being ignored—now states that when a 10+ year old child is removed from home and placed in foster care, the social workers shall inform the child of the child's right to be represented by a lawyer and of the child's right to personally attend court hearings. The law also provides that only the child can waive their right to be represented by a lawyer, and only after an opportunity to talk to a lawyer first. McKenna's Law went into effect on August 1, 2017, thereby increasing the demand for our services.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
CHILDRENS LAW CENTER OF MINNESOTA
Board of directorsas of 01/11/2023
Tony Zeuli. Esq.
Merchant & Gould, P.C.
Perri Hite, Esq.
Target
Alona Rindal, Esq.
U.S. Bank
Andrew Baese, Esq.
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Rachel Barrett, Esq.
Ciresi Conlin, LLP
Lisa Bayley, Esq.
Hennepin County
Joe Cassioppi, Esq.
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Amy Conway, Esq.
Stinson, LLP
Peter Doely, Esq.
Maslon LLP
Bill Hefner, Esq.
3M
Kara Gray, Esq.
Lathrop GPM
Holley Horrell, Esq.
Greene Espel PLLP
Jamie Kurtz, Esq.
Robins Kaplan LLP
James Lockhart, Esq.
RJM Construction LLC
Ann Novachek, Esq.
Nilan Johnson Lewis
Payman Pezhman, Esq.
UnitedHealth Care
Lauren Pockl, Esq.
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Melissa Raphan, Esq.
Dorsey & Whitney
Alona Rindal, Esq.
US Bank
Mark Schneebeck, Esq.
Fox Rothschild LLP
Erin Sindberg Porter, Esq.
Jones Day
De'Andra Walker
Former Client
Joshua Natzel, Esq.
Ballard Spahr LLP
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/08/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.