Founded in 1975 as a non-profit legal service, Juvenile Law Center is one of the oldest multi-issue public interest law firms for children in the United States. Juvenile Law Center maintains a national litigation practice that includes appellate and amicus work. Juvenile Law Center promotes juvenile justice and child welfare reform in Pennsylvania and nationwide through policy initiatives and public education forums.

Juvenile Law Center uses the law to protect and promote children’s rights and interests in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that public systems do not harm children and youth in their care. Juvenile Law Center works to ensure that the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, which were created to help vulnerable children and youth, provide them with access to education, housing, physical and behavioral health care, employment opportunities and other services that will enable them to become productive adults.

Juvenile Law Center seeks to achieve its mission to support children and youth by:

• litigating key cases in state and federal courts
• leading and supporting amicus efforts on key issues
• working with academic researchers to develop sound public policy
• training lawyers, judges and professionals
• advocating for child welfare and juvenile justice reform legislation and regulation
• educating and informing the public
• serving as a media resource

Juvenile Law Center’s legal and public education and training services are provided at no cost to our clients or to participants. We accept private contributions as well as foundation support.