Office of Attorneys for Children

Office Information

Contents

Overview

The Appellate Division, First Department is committed to maintaining the highest professional standards of attorneys who, through various publicly-funded programs within its jurisdiction, serve the State's most vulnerable populations – the indigent and the young.

Among the various court offices devoted to this purpose, the Office of Attorneys for Children (formerly the Law Guardian program) oversees the panel of attorneys that represent children and parents in family law proceedings in the Appellate, Supreme, Family and Criminal Courts. The Office develops and implements training programs for panel attorneys, is involved in planning and development of court initiatives, and oversees the payment of attorneys and experts working on behalf of children.

The Director of the Office of Attorneys for Children administers all Office programs. In addition, the Director serves on the Statewide Advisory Committee on Counsel for Children, which addresses issues involving the representation of children in the courts throughout the State.

The Office's Advisory Committee, appointed by the Presiding Justice, evaluates applications for appointment and re-certification of attorneys to the panel, reviews complaints, and addresses matters pertaining to the practice of representing children and parents. The Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the Director and the Presiding Justice.

FORMS

• Membership Application for Panel of Attorneys for Children (Panel Application)
• Application for Recertification
• Attorney for the Child Voucher
• Weekend Holiday Intake Voucher
• Assigned Counsel Voucher Judiciary Law § 35 (8)
• State of New York Standard Voucher
• Voucher for Court Reporter Services Rendered
• Voucher for Assigned Counsel, Psychiatrist or Physician
• 18-B or Poor Person Request Transcripts
• Attorney for Child Request Transcripts
• Affirmation of Services for Privately Paid Attorneys for Children
• Sample Court Order Appointing Privately Paid Attorney for the Child(ren)
• Sample Court Order Approving Attorney for Child Compensation
• Sample Court Order Authorizing Transcript of Record
• Sample Order Authorizing Services other than Counsel Services
• Sample Court Order Appointing Mental Health Professional
• Sample Court Order for Observation and Evaluation
• Substitute Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number & Certification
• Attorney’s Certification of Appellant’s Continued Eligibility for Poor Person’s Relief and Assignment of Counsel
• Sample Family Court Notices of Appeal
• Vendor Request Form

New York Children's Lawyer

The New York Children’s Lawyer is co-edited, and published every four months by the Attorneys for Children Directors within the Appellate Divisions in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Judicial Departments. It contains digests of every reported case in New York State involving issues relevant to attorneys for children, as well as statutory changes, a bibliography of relevant books and articles, essays on topics and issues important to the field, a Letters to the Editor section, and announcements of important developments and upcoming training sessions in all Departments.