Work directly in the courtroom serving as a Guardian ad Litem for children in Chancery Court, representing adoptive parents in adoption proceedings, or defending or counseling children involved in Youth Court proceedings.
Act As a Guardian ad Litem For Children in the Mississippi Court System. See Justice Come to Life by Serving as an Adoption Attorney for Foster Parents. Gain Experience in Youth Court Proceedings While Defending and Counseling the Children Involved.
Admitted to the limited practice of law under the close supervision of a faculty member, law students enrolled in this clinic have the opportunity to work directly in cases serving as the Guardian ad Litem for a child, representing adoptive parents in adoption proceedings, and/or representing juveniles or assisting with abuse and neglect cases in Youth Court.
Students serve as the best interest attorney for the child, known as the guardian ad litem, in cases involving adoptions, terminations of parental rights, guardianships, custody matters, child support matters, grandparents' rights, and similar related matters. Students may serve as the attorneys for adoptive parents in completing adoptions of children placed in prospective adoptive homes by Mississippi Child Protection Services, including preparation of petitions and final decrees. Students may also assist in representing juvenile clients or in abuse and neglect cases in Mississippi youth court(s), and the course will include instruction concerning child psychology, identifying signs of child abuse and neglect, client interviewing and case file management.
Students also study the substantive and procedural laws governing cases of child custody, child support, visitation, termination of parental rights, adoption, guardianship, grandparents’ visitation rights, and similarly related matters.
Contact The Mississippi College School of Law Child Advocacy Clinic
Professor Shirley T. Kennedy
Director of Child Advocacy
email: skennedy@mc.edu
phone: 601-925-7180
