In this case…real-life legal stories

FIRST-PERSON….When I started doing the work somebody asked me how it was. And I said it was really hard, and they said in what way is it hard. And I said in every possible way. I was doing comprehensive advocacy….I mean the kid walks in the door, and they’re our client. They’re our client forever. We will take care of any issue that comes up. They’re taken away from their parents, fine. They’re having problems in school, fine. Abuse and neglect, special education, they’re gonna be kicked out of school so there’s an expulsion. They’ve got benefits issues. Their mother’s gonna be kicked out of housing. The mother has no place to live so we need to know housing law. And so you’ve got all these areas of the law that are really difficult, and that’s very hard.

I like telling stories of kids, talking about kids. That, to me, is what’s really interesting. People love to hear about children’s law and about cases. My area of the law is so filled with emotion, because it’s kids, and you’re helping them, and it’s so raw, and it’s really needing more than an advocate, but really needing people. To be able to help somebody like that is so concrete. You get a chance to do this, and it’s getting back to why we went to law school. It’s that idealistic, “I can help someone!”

It’s hard for me to think why anybody would not want to do this. I don’t know, literally, I don’t know what else I would do. If I didn’t do this I would probably work as a waitress, work in a zoo, I mean it just wouldn’t matter. Because this is it. You know, it’s such an incredible privilege to work with kids when they’re at a turning point that will affect their entire lives. Even if you’re not making a difference at least you’re in there fighting the good fight. At least you’re in the trenches, you got your machete, and you’re ready to go. At least you’re trying.

I remember I represented this little girl, she was eight. And she was taken away from her mother. Taken away for homelessness. And my client was there. And we won. Her mom was crying, so she couldn’t tell her what had happened. Her mom just grabbed her and hugged her. And my client looked at me over her mom’s shoulder and she said, “I knew you were a good lawyer.” I felt like, if this is the end of my legal career, that’s fine. “I knew you were a good lawyer.” That’s pretty great.

Cathy lives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and has two young children. She was interviewed in 2002 and now works part-time for the American Bar Association coordinating programs for children’s legal rights. To learn more visit the ABA Committee on Children’s Rights Litigation”.

Photo from Flickr, “He, working…She, waiting ….” by Vivian 81.