Fostering Independence matches a teen in foster care with a guardian ad litem team, consisting of a pro bono attorney, a case coordinator and a program attorney. As a pro bono attorney, you will represent the teen’s best interests as the guardian ad litem after completing an eight-hour training by viewing DVD's that can be checked out and taken home or viewed below.
Other pro bono opportunities with the GAL Program include representing the child in a regular attorney-client relationship as the attorney ad litem and assisting the GAL Program using your area of expertise, including special education, probate, guardianship, appeals, or immigration.
Thank you for your interest in becoming a pro bono attorney for the Guardian ad Litem Program. Below are 5 videos and one power point presentation with accompanying materials to help you prepare for this very rewarding undertaking. The videos below include:
Introduction to Chapter 39
Understanding Children
Independent Living
Educational Advocacy
Representing Children in the Dependency System, and
Ethical Considerations for Pro-Bono Attorneys
If you are an attorney and would like to receive Continuing Legal Education credit for listening to the audio files below, please visit the Florida Bar website and submit the course number provided to receive 8 hours (including 1 ethics ) of CLE credit.
The CLE Course Number is 14918 (through August 2009).
Thank you for making a lasting difference in a child's life.
Note: If you have reached the Guardian ad Litem website through Citrix (Guardian ad Litem Employees), there will be no sound on the video. Please Copy (Highlight + Control + C) the address at the top of the page (Address Bar) and Paste (Click on New Address Bar + Control + V) into the address bar of another browser (i.e. Windows Internet Explorer or AOL) – not through the Citrix Applications Page. You will then be able to hear the training.
Dr. Daniel P. Tressler, a licensed psychologist, has been treating children for more than 20 years. As the founder of the Centers for Psychology, he has provided psychotherapeutic and assessment services for many of Central Florida’s abused and neglected children. Dr. Tressler has been an expert witness in criminal, civil, custody and dependency cases.
Title: INDEPENDENT LIVING, Gerry Glynn, Barry University School of Law
Note: If you have reached the Guardian ad Litem website through Citrix (Guardian ad Litem Employees), there will be no sound on the video. Please Copy (Highlight + Control + C) the address at the top of the page (Address Bar) and Paste (Click on New Address Bar + Control + V) into the address bar of another browser (i.e. Windows Internet Explorer or AOL) – not through the Citrix Applications Page. You will then be able to hear the training.
Gerry Glynn has represented children for 15 years. He is an associate professor and Director of In-Home Clinics at Barry University School of Law, formerly Director of Clinical Programs at the University of Arkansas and Clinical Instructor at Florida State University School of Law. Mr. Glynn took an 18 month leave of absence from his position as Professor at Barry University in 2003-2004 to be the founding Executive Director of Florida’s Children First, a statewide child advocacy organization. He serves on numerous bar committees and has published several articles and chapters of books.
Title: EDUCATIONAL ADVOCACY, Andrea Moore, Executive Director, Florida Children First
Note: If you have reached the Guardian ad Litem website through Citrix (Guardian ad Litem Employees), there will be no sound on the video. Please Copy (Highlight + Control + C) the address at the top of the page (Address Bar) and Paste (Click on New Address Bar + Control + V) into the address bar of another browser (i.e. Windows Internet Explorer or AOL) – not through the Citrix Applications Page. You will then be able to hear the training.
Ms. Moore is the Executive Director of Florida’s Children First, a statewide child advocacy organization. Prior to her job as executive director she spent her years in private practice concentrating on family issues including complex custody cases, special education and ADA issues. Ms. Moore has received many awards for her representation including The Child Advocate of the Year from the Guardian ad Litem Program in 2002 and the Mother of the Year from Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies of Broward County in 2000. She adds her legal experience to her life experience as a foster parent, adoptive parent, and a parent of a child with disabilities when advocating for the rights of children.
Title: REPRESENTING YOUTH IN THE DEPENDENCY SYSTEM, Mary K. Wimsett, Special Counsel Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program
Note: If you have reached the Guardian ad Litem website through Citrix (Guardian ad Litem Employees), there will be no sound on the video. Please Copy (Highlight + Control + C) the address at the top of the page (Address Bar) and Paste (Click on New Address Bar + Control + V) into the address bar of another browser (i.e. Windows Internet Explorer or AOL) – not through the Citrix Applications Page. You will then be able to hear the training.
Mary K. Wimsett serves as Special Counsel to the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Program Office. In addition, she has her own firm in Gainesville where she specializes in adoptions and attorney ad litem representation in dependency and probate proceedings. Mary K. graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University and from the University of Florida Law School with honors. Before opening her law firm, Mary K. Served as a Guardian ad Litem Program Supervising Attorney in the 2nd and 8th Judicial Circuits. Mary K. has served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Juvenile Rules Committee and currently serves on the Family Law Rules Committee.
Title: ETHICS, Susan Miller-Jones, Supervising Attorney, Florida Guardian ad Litem Program
Note: If you have reached the Guardian ad Litem website through Citrix (Guardian ad Litem Employees), there will be no sound on the video. Please Copy (Highlight + Control + C) the address at the top of the page (Address Bar) and Paste (Click on New Address Bar + Control + V) into the address bar of another browser (i.e. Windows Internet Explorer or AOL) - not through the Citrix Applications Page. You will then be able to hear the training.
Susan Miller-Jones has worked as Supervising Attorney for the Guardian ad Litem Program in the 8th circuit for the last two years and in the dependency system for the last 5 years. She graduated from the University of Florida Law School and currently serves as an advisory board member for the city of Gainesville Community Block Grant Division as well as a mentor for big brothers big sisters.
