Attorneys representing children in both delinquency and deprivation matters frequently encounter ethical quandaries related to their role as the attorney for a child. Counsel for children must be committed to her duty under the Rules of Professional Conduct to provide the client (the child) with zealous advocacy and meaningful representation through a relationship based on trust and respect for the child as the client. This commitment, however, often finds the attorney placed at odds with others in the court system, including parents, probation officers, case managers, guardians ad litem, and even judges.

This webinar will seek to explore the push and pull children's attorneys experience in representing children and dealing with other players in the system while maintaining the ethical standards required by the Professional Rules. The webinar will highlight the law and best practice policies regarding the issue through a lecture format, then to engage in a discussion and debate with participants about their impressions of the issue, and to explore options available to children's attorneys in managing relationships with clients, their parents and others involved in the child's case, in terms of both in-court and out-of-court communication and advocacy.

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The program will feature:

Attorney Ari Mathe’ is a certified Child Welfare Law Specialist who has practiced primarily juvenile law for over 11 years. Mathe’ served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Northeastern Judicial Circuit for six years, representing indigent juveniles and adults involved with the criminal justice system, during which time she also served as the chairman of the Juvenile Law Committee of the State Bar Younger Lawyers Division. Mathe’ now represents children, parents and custodians in juvenile court dependency and delinquency matters and serves as appointed appellate counsel in juvenile and criminal matters. Mathe’ has trained attorneys both nationally and locally for the American Bar Association, the Georgia Association of Counsel for Children, the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Georgia Public Defender Council.

  
Topics Will Include:

Types of child attorneys and the ethical obligations of each (expressed wishes attorney, guardian ad litem attorney, blended role)

How to address legal conflicts of interest

How to deal with other parties (represented and unrepresented)

Best practices for zealous and ethical advocacy

This program will provide 1 CLE Hour, including 1 Ethics hour.  Once you have registered for the program, you will receive a link with instructions to access the program.