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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Page Navigation

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! 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

Itzel Yajaira Gonzalez Patiño
National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
Conference Recap

I am grateful for the support of the Washington State Bar Association—Juvenile Law Section for providing me the opportunity to virtually attend the 43^rd Annual Protecting our Children Conference hosted by the National Indian Child Welfare Association ("NICWA"). Attending this conference allowed me to deepen my understanding of Indigenous-child welfare, culturally grounded advocacy, and the long-term responsibility legal professionals hold in protecting Native children and supporting tribal sovereignty.

In the Sacred Work of Serving Families session, I learned about "heart work," that serving families within tribal communities is not merely professional work, but heart work grounded in cultural responsibility and care. Hearing Native leaders describe child welfare as sacred reframed my understanding of legal advocacy as relational and ethical, rather than purely procedural. This perspective aligned closely with my victim-centered and trauma-informed approach to advocacy and reinforced the importance of humility, trust, and cultural awareness when working with families who have historically experienced harm through legal systems.

The general session, Celebrating the Roles of Urban Indian Centers and Services, expanded my understanding of Native child welfare beyond reservation-based contexts. As more Native families live in urban areas, urban Indian centers play a vital role in preserving cultural connection while providing family-centered and culturally competent services. Learning about different centers outside the state of Washington highlighted the importance of accessible and community-based support systems. Lastly, the closing session, ICWA 2050: Join This Generational movement, framed the Indian Child Welfare Act as a living commitment requiring sustained advocacy and intergenerational collaboration. This session stressed that protecting Native children and tribal sovereignty is an ongoing responsibility that must evolve alongside legal, social, and policy changes.

Attending the NICWA conference deepened my understanding of culturally grounded approaches to serving Native families. I am thankful for the support that made this opportunity possible and remain committed to amplifying children's voices and safeguarding their rights.

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Member Benefits

Interested in becoming a member of the Juvenile Law Section and wondering what benefits you'll receive? Here's the benefits you can expect upon becoming a section member!

• Access to the Juvenile Law Section List Serve
• Tailored CLE programming (in-person, webcast, low-cost, and free webinars!) designed with your practice area/interests in mind
• Invitations to professional networking opportunities
• Leadership opportunities through executive committee participation
• Practice area resources in the Member Benefits area
  • Recordings of previous CLEs (non-accredited)
  • The Warm Hand-off List
  • More coming soon!

Being a member of the Juvenile Law Section comes with many perks, and can be a rewarding experience finding community among your peers!

Join today!

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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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