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This year Chief Justice Peggy Quince is at the forefront of an initiative to recruit attorneys as guardians ad litem by calling on members of The Florida Bar to represent children. Chief Justice Quince identified the needs of children in dependency court as one of the priorities of her two-year term as Chief Justice. Chief Justice Quince is putting particular emphasis on the Program’s Fostering Independence Program, which serves teenagers.
Fostering Independence is a targeted recruitment effort to get attorneys to work pro bono as part of the GAL team. When an attorney agrees to represent a teen, either as a guardian or as a pro bono attorney, the Program provides training, which can be viewed from our website. Additionally, our staff is always available to help with the myriad of issues affecting teens, for example; barriers to permanency for this age group, aging out of foster care without adequate support and appropriate housing, and lack of independent living services.
Other pro bono opportunities with the GAL Program include assisting the GAL Program using your area of expertise, including special education, probate, guardianship, appeals, or immigration.
Thank you for considering using your legal abilities to help a child by volunteering. When you volunteer with the Guardian ad Litem Program, you become a voice for a child.
Sincerely,
Theresa A. Flury
Executive Director
Florida Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office Florida Guardian ad Litem Program Marks a Year of Continued Support from Chief Justice Quince (June 2009)
Fostering Independence, Florida Guardian ad Litem Pro Bono Project Brochure
Quince Takes Court’s Helm: Challenges Lawyers to Become GALs for Foster Kids, Jan Pudlow, The Florida Bar News (July 2008)
Attorneys Needed for Aging-Out Foster Kids, Jan Pudlow, Florida Bar News (August 2008)
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