Kids First Law Center

What Kids First Law Center does

Kids First Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by Jenny Schulz and headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that delivers child-focused legal advocacy and conflict resolution services across Eastern Iowa. The organization operates six integrated programs: Child Representation (legal advocacy for children ages 6–16 in high-conflict divorce and custody cases in Linn and Johnson Counties, delivered free or on a sliding scale for families below 250% of the poverty line); Joint Parenting Sessions (free Zoom-based mediation for separated parents, available statewide as of 2024); Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE), a 3–4 hour panel evaluation of custody and parenting-time disputes by an attorney and mental-health evaluator at a flat $800 fee split between parents; Divorce Workshops for Kids (interactive educational workshops at $25/child or $40 family maximum); Neutral Exchanges (free supervised child handoffs at the Cedar Rapids office); and the Youth Peace Project (school-embedded restorative justice services at 10 Cedar Rapids Community School District schools).

The underlying service methodology blends family law practice, restorative justice (peace circles, one-on-one conflict resolution, re-entry circles following suspensions), and child-centered mediation rather than a technology platform; no proprietary software, APIs, or AI/ML systems are disclosed. Service delivery combines in-person office visits, school-embedded facilitators, and Zoom-based mediation.

The business model is a hybrid of fee-for-service (SENE, Divorce Workshops), free services funded by charitable contributions, and institutional grants. Revenue is sourced from individual donations (via PayPal Giving Fund, Give Lively, the Superheroes Club monthly giving program, and a recurring annual fundraiser), corporate and foundation grants across tiered sponsorship levels (Champions, Investors, Heroes), and event fundraising (annual Happy Hour auction, Giving Tuesday). Major institutional supporters include the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Iowa Health and Human Services, United Way, Simmons Perrine, Principal Financial, Transamerica, and Mercy Care. The Des Moines satellite office opened in 2017 and spun off in June 2020 as the independent Iowa Center for Children's Justice. Geographic scope is Linn and Johnson Counties for in-person services and statewide Iowa for virtual joint parenting sessions; the organization does not claim a broader national footprint.

Name

Kids First Law Center

Legal name

Kids First Law Center

Website

https://kidsfirstiowa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kids First Law Center is a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides child representation in high-conflict custody cases, free parent mediation, divorce workshops, and school-based restorative justice programs serving approximately 3,000 children and families annually in Eastern Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Family Legal Services / Child Advocacy

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Peer Mediation, Conflict Resolution & Prosocial Playground Programs (Early Years) (EDACAOAJ)

Keywords

• Child representation services
• Divorce mediation services
• Restorative justice programs
• Family law mediation
• Nonprofit legal advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable gifts from individuals through online platforms (PayPal Giving Fund, Give Lively), mail-in checks, and the Superheroes Club monthly giving program.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants/Sponsorships: Support from corporations and foundations including Champions (Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Iowa Health and Human Services, United Way), Investors (Simmons Perrine, Principal Financial), and Heroes tiers. Event sponsorships for Happy Hour fundraiser.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual Happy Hour fundraiser with live and silent auctions. Raised record-breaking $49,448 in 2023 plus corporate sponsorships. Also Giving Tuesday campaigns raising $39,375 in 2022.
4. Sliding Fee Scale Services: Child representation free for families below 250% of poverty guidelines; sliding scale for higher income. Workshop fees of $25/child or $40/family maximum. SENE at $800 flat fee split between parents.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kids First Law Center provides child-focused legal advocacy, mediation, and conflict resolution services for families affected by divorce and custody disputes. The nonprofit offers six core programs: Child Representation (legal advocacy for children in high-conflict custody cases), Joint Parenting Sessions (mediation for separated parents), Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE), Divorce Workshops for Kids, Neutral Exchanges (safe child handoffs), and the Youth Peace Project (restorative justice in Cedar Rapids schools).

Product overview

Kids First Law Center is a nonprofit child-focused conflict resolution center offering six integrated programs: Child Representation provides legal advocacy for children in high-conflict custody cases; Joint Parenting Sessions offer free mediation for separated parents; Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE) provides non-binding custody evaluations; Divorce Workshops for Kids deliver age-appropriate educational content; Neutral Exchanges provide safe child handoffs; and Youth Peace Project brings restorative justice practices into Cedar Rapids schools. The organization serves over 2,500 children annually in Eastern Iowa, primarily in Linn and Johnson Counties, operating since 2005.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Peace Project (YPP): A restorative justice program that provides conflict resolution services in Cedar Rapids Community School District high schools and middle schools, helping students resolve conflicts through peace circles and mediation.
• Divorce Workshops for Kids
• Joint Parenting Sessions

Products and services

• Child Representation Legal advocacy services providing free and reduced-cost representation to children ages 6-16 in high-conflict divorce and custody cases in Linn and Johnson Counties, Iowa. Attorneys represent school-age children, meet regularly with child clients, consult with teachers, link families to community resources, and advocate the child's position in court.
• Joint Parenting Sessions Free mediation services for Iowa parents to help find common ground, reduce conflict, improve communication, resolve parenting disputes, and craft parenting plans. Sessions are conducted via Zoom with a child-centered approach that keeps kids out of the middle of parental conflicts. Available to any Iowa parent statewide.
• Social Early Neutral Evaluation (SENE) A process where a neutral panel of experienced family law professionals (attorney and mental health evaluator) listens to both parents and provides non-binding evaluation on custody, parenting time, and child-related issues. Sessions last 3-4 hours at a flat fee of $800 split between parents.
• Divorce Workshops for Kids Educational workshops for school-age children of divorcing parents in Linn and Johnson Counties, Iowa. Workshops are interactive with games, discussions, role-playing, and videos, grouped by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12). Fee is $25 per child or $40 maximum per family.
• Neutral Exchanges Free neutral exchange location where separated parents can exchange children without meeting each other. Staff accompany children from one parent to another using separate parking lots and entrances. Coaching services help parents work toward unassisted exchanges.
• Youth Peace Project (YPP) School-based restorative justice program providing peace facilitation services in Cedar Rapids Community School District high schools and middle schools. Services include one-on-one sessions, responsive circles (mediation), classroom circles, and re-entry circles following suspensions. Currently operates at ten schools including Grant Wood, Erskine, Hoover, Johnson, Arthur, Franklin, McKinley, Roosevelt, Wilson, and Metro High School.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% settlement rate for SENE sessions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cedar Rapids Community School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to deliver Youth Peace Project restorative justice services at 10 Cedar Rapids schools. District logo featured as Champion-level supporter.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Iowa Legal Aid: Statewide nonprofit legal services organization serving low-income Iowans in civil matters including family law. Directly comparable as a regional legal services peer in Iowa, and a relevant employer history for several Kids First team members.

Emerging players

• Center for Children's Law and Policy: National nonprofit focused on juvenile justice and school discipline reform, with expertise in restorative justice practices in schools. Directly comparable to Kids First's Youth Peace Project school-based restorative justice work.
• Good Shepherd Services: New York-based nonprofit providing integrated youth development, education, and family services including school-based restorative justice programming. Comparable in combining child advocacy, mediation, and school-based conflict resolution services.

Direct peers

• National Center for Youth Law: National nonprofit legal organization that uses litigation, advocacy, and policy to improve outcomes for children and youth. Comparable to Kids First in its child-centered legal advocacy mission and nonprofit legal services delivery model.
• Iowa Center for Children's Justice: Spun off from Kids First Law Center's Des Moines office in 2020 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Operates the same child representation and family conflict resolution model in central Iowa, and is the most direct comparison point for Kids First's programs and operating model.
• Children's Law Center (DC): Provides legal services to children and families in the Washington, DC area, with a similar combination of direct child representation, family advocacy, and community education programs. Closely comparable in service mix and target population.
• Sanctuary for Families: New York-based nonprofit providing legal representation, counseling, and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and related family law matters. Closely comparable in combining legal representation with therapeutic and social services for families in high-conflict situations.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Defense Fund: National child advocacy organization that combines legal advocacy, policy work, and direct services to improve outcomes for children. Comparable mission orientation and nonprofit legal advocacy model, though operating at significantly larger national scale.
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA): National network of programs that recruit and train volunteers to advocate for children in the child welfare and family court systems. Overlaps with Kids First's court-appointed child representation function but operates through volunteer advocates rather than staff attorneys.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit providing legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children and others, with a mission-driven law-firm model analogous to Kids First. KIND operates at much larger scale across multiple states and is a useful benchmark for the type of scaling Kids First could pursue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kidsfirstiowa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kids First Law Center