In a major step toward improving legal support for vulnerable children and families, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents recently approved the launch of the Nebraska Children’s Justice and Legal Advocacy Center, a new initiative focused on addressing the shortage of qualified attorneys in rural communities across the state.

The new center, housed within the University of Nebraska College of Law, builds upon the success of two existing programs: the Children’s Justice Clinic and the Children’s Justice Attorney Education Fellowship Program. The center will transform juvenile court advocacy by equipping attorneys with the knowledge, skills and support needed to provide high-quality, trauma-informed representation.

“This expansion positions the College of Law and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to be state and national leaders in educating law students and lawyers on how to be effective advocates for children,” said Dean Richard Moberly. “The center will serve as a model for other states faced with the challenge of access to justice in rural areas.”

Nebraska faces a stark reality that mirrors challenges across rural America. Of the state’s more than 5,500 attorneys with active licenses, only 7% practice in rural areas. The situation is particularly dire for juvenile court cases, where about 60% of abuse and neglect petitions originate from areas outside Lincoln and Omaha. Currently, 12 Nebraska counties have no attorneys, and many rural counties lack advocates with experience in child welfare.

“The realities we experience in Nebraska are not unique,” said Michelle Paxton, a professor at Nebraska Law who specializes in juvenile law and the center’s founding director. “Our programs have already shown tangible benefits in addressing Nebraska’s need for high-quality counsel for juveniles in rural communities.”

The new center will employ a comprehensive three-component training model consisting of intensive training; multidisciplinary expert consultation; and reflective practice, which has been recognized as a best practice approach by national child advocacy organizations. Law students and attorneys will receive extensive education in federal and state child welfare laws, along with crucial knowledge about trauma, child development, substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health issues through intensive training sessions. Participants will work with various experts, including practicing attorneys, mental health practitioners, system and case professionals, and individuals with lived experience in juvenile court to address complex legal questions while integrating social and psychological factors through expert case consultation. Additionally, participants will engage in structured reflection on personal biases and case experiences through reflective practice sessions, which research shows promotes ethical practice and reduces vicarious trauma.

Since it began in 2022, the Children’s Justice Attorney Education Program has trained attorneys now working in 85 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. An external evaluation found that participating attorneys report doing more work in juvenile courts while experiencing greater job satisfaction due to increased confidence in their skills.

The Nebraska Children’s Justice and Legal Advocacy Center will expand data collection to become a centralized resource for information on juvenile attorney availability and quality in Nebraska, creating a publicly accessible dashboard for tracking progress. The center will develop a formalized model for rural attorney education that can be replicated in other states facing similar challenges.

The center’s impact goes beyond legal training; it is about ensuring every Nebraska child, no matter where they live, has access to skilled, compassionate legal advocacy when it matters most.

“Ultimately, I want to be able to look at the state map and see we have moved the needle on access to representation across rural Nebraska, which desperately needs it,” Paxton said. “We will have done something very few other states have done.”

The Nebraska Children’s Justice and Legal Advocacy Center has already begun full operation. 

Learn more.