Juvenile Law Section

The Juvenile Law Section provides an opportunity for legal professionals who work with juveniles and their families in child welfare and juvenile justice to meet together and work collaboratively on issues facing their clients. Areas of legal practice the section addresses include child welfare, juvenile justice, status offenses, immigration as it relates to children and families, truancy, at-risk youth and children in need of services proceedings, as well as a variety of civil legal needs of youth. The Section welcomes advocates from all interested disciplines and a variety of fields of law, including juvenile justice, child welfare, and those who represent youth in civil legal practice.

The Section provides benefits to members by sponsoring an annual CLE focusing on current developments in the area of juvenile law. The Section also acts as an agent of change to improve the law and practice related to civil and criminal matters involving children and youth in Washington state. 

Annual Report  |   Budget  |   Bylaws  |  Year in Review  |  Elections  |  Meeting Minutes  |  Executive Committee Biographies  |  Member Benefits

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The Juvenile Law Section offers many resources and benefits for members. On this page you will find information about the section, their upcoming events and offerings, as well as information about the section's executive committee.

Upcoming Programs

NEW Webinar! Introduction to Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth

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Developed in partnership with the WSBA Juvenile Law Section

This CLE equips legal advocates with foundational knowledge and practical skills to effectively serve LGBTQIA+ youth in Washington State systems of care.

This training provides interactive learning on accurate terminology, current LGBTQIA+ statistics, and developmental frameworks for understanding SOGIE (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression). Participants will learn best practices for legally appropriate documentation and youth-led identity disclosure, Washington State DCYF Policy 6.04, including when and how to record SOGIE information, correcting names and pronouns in case files, and handling sensitive disclosures in a forensic setting.

The session also maps care pathways and covered benefits through coordinated healthcare and behavioral health systems, including gender-affirming medical supports, trauma-informed therapeutic modalities, and acuity levels for substance-use treatment.

A major focus of the training is courtroom-ready practice for:

• Structuring identity-respectful introductions during client interviews
• Creating affirming, disclosure-safe legal spaces
• Applying trauma-informed communication
• Using language that minimizes re-traumatization

Participants are introduced to key advocacy and community resources that can support legal advocacy and client stability — including crisis intervention (Trevor Project), identity and education advocacy (Human Rights Campaign; Trans Student Educational Resources), and hotline support (Trans Lifeline).

This training prioritizes legal accuracy, ethical considerations, youth-centered interview practice, preparing attorneys to advocate more competently, document appropriately, and engage more effectively in cases involving LGBTQIA+ identity, trauma, medical decision-making, and placement stability.

When: Jan. 9, 2026

Time: Noon–1:30 p.m. PT

Credits: 1.50 Ethics (Equity)

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NEW! Member Benefits Page!

The Juvenile Law Section Executive Committee is pleased to announce their new Member Benefits Page! Inside you will find recordings of past CLEs, and a Warm Hand-Off List of Juvenile Law Section members. And your executive committee is working hard towards expanding the content in these pages, so keep an eye out here for upcoming news about what you can expect from your section membership!

Want to get involved? Message the Executive Committee or email sections@wsba.org to learn more!

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Awards/Scholarships

Children's Justice Conference Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations to Christina Sorenson and Delaina Bolich, recipients of our two Children's Justice Conference $300 scholarship awards! Christina is an attorney at TeamChild with an interest in furthering her education around the laws and policies relevant to her work in her current position. Delaina is a deputy prosecuting attorney for Franklin County in the Juvenile Division with a background as a probation officer, and she has an interest in networking with others who are interested in creating innovative solutions to help at-risk youth in her community.

We are looking forward to hearing from Christina and Delaina on their experience at the Children's Justice Conference!

Congratulations again!

If you are interested in learning more about the Children's Justice Conference, please go to the conference website at dcyfcjc.com.

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Member Benefits

A full list of member benefits is coming soon!

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Executive Committee

Executive Committee Meetings

The WSBA Juvenile Law Executive Committee generally conducts meetings by videoconference from noon to 1 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are hosted on Zoom and are open to all section members and members of the public.

See the Juvenile Law Section's event calendar listing for log-in information. Please contact subcommittee members for details on their upcoming meeting dates and locations.

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Join Our List Serve

To join the section list serve and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org. For more information and to get involved with the section, contact the Section Chair.

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