FJI began as a partnership between the Children’s Law Center of California, the Center for Family Representation, the ABA Center on Children and the Law, and Casey Family Programs. In 2020, the Washington State Office of Public Defense replaced the Center for Family Representation as an executive team partner.

FJI Partners

Children’s Law Center of California

Children’s Law Center of California (CLC) represents children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned that come under the protection of the Los Angeles, Sacramento, or Placer County Juvenile Dependency Court systems. With a combined staff of nearly 450 lawyers, paralegals, and investigators, CLC represents all of the 33,000 children under the jurisdiction of these dependency courts. CLC is often seen at the forefront of much needed local, state and national policy change and system reform.

ABA Center on Children and the Law

ABA Center on Children and the Law (the Center) promotes access to justice for children and families. The Center’s team of attorneys and core staff work on a diverse portfolio of national, regional and local projects in the children’s law field throughout the country. Center projects are unified by two complementary goals: improving legal representation and improving the legal systems that impact children and families.

Washington State Office of Public Defense

Established by the Legislature in 1996, OPD is an independent agency of the judicial branch. Through its Parent Representation Program, OPD contracts with attorneys to represent indigent parents, custodians and legal guardians involved in child dependency and termination of parental rights proceedings in all of Washington’s 39 counties. Key elements of the Parents Representation Program include: caseload limits and professional attorney standards; access to expert services and independent social workers; OPD oversight; and ongoing training and support for attorneys. A national leader in providing high-quality legal representation to parents, Washington’s Parent Representation Program has been evaluated numerous times and consistently been shown to improve reunification outcomes for families.

Casey Family Programs

Casey Family Programs is the nation’s largest operating foundation focused on safely reducing the need for foster care and building Communities of Hope for children and families across America. Founded in 1966, we work in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and two territories and with more than a dozen tribal nations to influence long-lasting improvements to the safety and success of children, families and the communities where they live. Our mission is to provide and improve — and ultimately prevent the need for — foster care.