Child welfare lawyers in California represent the legal interests of minors before the court and the legal system. Child welfare law attorneys might be privately retained, serve as a guardian ad litem or be appointed by the court to represent the best interests of a child. Issues for child welfare law include emergency custody hearings, child neglect or child support determinations, temporary custody, foster care, permanency planning, terminating parental rights, guardianship cases and adoptions. Child welfare lawyers in California may work in private practice or for government agencies including child protective services, social services, or the foster care system.
National Association of Counsel for Children - NACC is accredited by the ABA to certify attorneys as child welfare law specialists and works to improve the quality of legal representation of children in dependency, juvenile delinquency, and family law cases.
San Francisco Lawyer Referral Service - The Lawyer Referral and Information Service (LRIS) is a community based non-profit service sponsored by the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF). Since 1946, the lawyer referral service has helped the public find a qualified attorney throughout San Francisco County in a variety of practice areas. The LRIS has also expanded it service into Marin County, CA.