A Focus on Children

The New Model with a focus on the Children

Children's Legal Services (CLS) represents the State of Florida by and through the Department of Children and Families to ensure the health and safety of children and the integrity of families.

The State of Florida has the awesome responsibility of protecting abused, abandoned and neglected children. The CLS attorneys, together with case management agencies and protective investigators, are charged with carrying out that responsibility.

The CLS Model can be analogized to that of the prosecutor. Prosecutors and CLS attorneys have ethical obligations beyond that of other lawyers. Each is expected to pursue justice rather than simply seeking victory for their clients.

For CLS lawyers, this duty is expressed in the Florida Statute Chapter 39 directive to ensure the health and safety of children and the integrity of families.