Children's Law Center of Minnesota

What Children's Law Center of Minnesota does

Children's Law Center of Minnesota (CLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 that provides free legal representation and advocacy to children and youth in foster care, ages 10 to 21, primarily in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The organization is court-appointed in Ramsey County for all children aged 10+ entering child protection proceedings and for state wards in Hennepin County, effectively serving as the statutory legal representative for a large share of Minnesota's foster youth in these jurisdictions. In 2024, CLC served 420 youth, of whom 87% identified as Black, Indigenous, or youth of color, and 79% were part of a sibling group. Beyond direct representation, the organization connects clients with education, housing, and mental health services through a Youth Resources Program, and engages in systemic reform through participation in over 15 policy committees and submission of amicus briefs at the Minnesota appellate and U.S. Supreme Court level.

CLC operates a hybrid staff-and-volunteer service delivery model, with staff attorneys handling roughly 40-50% of cases directly and a network of 200+ trained pro bono volunteer attorneys drawn from Minnesota law firms and corporate legal departments handling the remainder. The volunteer pipeline is supported by on-demand CLE training, background checks, and ongoing supervision. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions: individual donations, corporate sponsorships (with benefit event tiers from $500 to $25,000+), planned giving, stock and real estate donations, and donor-advised funds, supplemented by in-kind pro bono legal services. CLC has no proprietary technology platform; all services are delivered through human legal practitioners, with digital infrastructure limited to a website, client-facing educational materials, a password-protected Legal Library for practitioners, and third-party donation processing integrations. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Nikki Farago (appointed January 2026) and Managing Attorney Anne Gueinzius (27-year tenure), with a staff of 11-50 employees.

Name

Children's Law Center of Minnesota

Legal name

Children's Law Center of Minnesota

Website

https://clcmn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Law Center of Minnesota is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1995, that provides free court-appointed legal representation and advocacy to children and youth in foster care across Hennepin and Ramsey counties, serving 420 youth in 2024 through staff and 200+ volunteer attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Protection & Child Rights (BPAGABAG), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Child welfare advocacy
• Legal aid services
• Foster care representation
• Nonprofit legal services
• Youth advocacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and charitable contributions from supporters. Accepts online donations, stock donations, vehicle donations, property donations, planned giving, and donor-advised funds.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Event Fundraising: Annual benefit events with sponsorship levels from $500 (Friend) to $25,000+ (Producer). Also accepts in-kind donations of goods, services, and professional expertise.
3. Volunteer Attorney Services (Pro Bono): Volunteer attorneys provide free legal representation, constituting significant in-kind support. Training registration fees ($35) and background check fees ($10) are charged to volunteer attorneys.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Children's Law Center of Minnesota provides free legal representation and advocacy to abused and neglected youth ages 10-21 in Minnesota's foster care system. The organization delivers court-appointed representation through staff attorneys and a network of 200+ trained pro bono volunteer attorneys, primarily serving Hennepin and Ramsey counties, supported by training programs, a youth resources program, and public policy advocacy.

Product overview

Children's Law Center of Minnesota operates as a single-focus nonprofit providing free legal representation and advocacy services for youth in foster care ages 10-21. The core offering is direct legal representation through a network of over 200 volunteer attorneys and staff counsel, primarily serving Hennepin and Ramsey counties. This is supported by Legal Training (on-demand and live CLE programs for volunteer attorneys), the Youth Resources Program (holistic case support connecting clients to education, housing, and mental health services), Public Policy & Advocacy (systemic reform through committee participation and legislative engagement), and Amicus Briefs (appellate advocacy). Additional offerings include Know Your Rights educational materials for clients, a Pro Bono Attorney Referral Network for extended legal needs, and a password-protected Legal Library for practitioners. The organization does not operate a technology platform or SaaS product—the services are delivered through attorneys and staff, not software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Representation Free legal representation provided by staff and volunteer attorneys to abused and neglected youth ages 10-21 in the foster care system. CLC is appointed by state courts in Hennepin and Ramsey counties to represent youth, establishing attorney-client relationships and advocating for their expressed wishes in court.
• Legal Training Program Recruits, trains, and supports volunteer attorneys to provide direct legal representation for youth in foster care. Includes on-demand and live CLE training sessions covering topics such as the importance of legal representation, laws regarding children aging out, active efforts, ICWA, and addressing sibling relationships. Volunteer attorneys pay $35 for training and $10 for background check, or $45 for both.
• Youth Resources Program Holistic support service connecting clients with education, housing, mental health, and other essential resources. The Youth Resource Manager helps youth access services and advocates for benefits and resources needed to support their well-being and transition to adulthood.
• Public Policy & Advocacy Drives systemic change through participation in over 15 external committees and organizations, legislative initiatives, and collaboration on amicus briefs to advance policies protecting and empowering youth in foster care.
• Amicus Briefs Prepares and partners with others to submit amicus curiae briefs to the Minnesota Supreme Court, Minnesota Court of Appeals, Eighth and other Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court on decisions affecting foster care youth.
• Pro Bono Attorney Referral Network Network of volunteer attorneys referred for assistance in legal areas including criminal representation, debt collection, disability discrimination, employment issues, housing, immigration, and school discipline for CLC clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% graduation rate for CLC clients vs. significantly lower national average for foster youth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TaftcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm sponsor providing pro bono legal representation and financial support to CLC through annual benefit sponsorship and volunteer attorney participation.
• Stinson LLPcoreGTM or Marketing Partner2025 Distinguished Service Award recipient. Major law firm providing volunteer attorneys and sponsorship support for CLC's mission.
• Faegre DrinkercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm sponsor providing pro bono legal representation and financial support through event sponsorship.
• FredriksoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm with volunteer attorneys who successfully argued landmark Court of Appeals case protecting foster youth from unlawful detention.
• MasloncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm sponsor supporting CLC through volunteer attorney participation and financial contributions.
• DorseycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm sponsor providing pro bono representation and event sponsorship support.
• 3McoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor providing financial support and community partnership for CLC events and programs.
• UnitedHealth GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting CLC's work with foster youth through event sponsorship and donations.
• Gibson DunnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm sponsor providing pro bono support and event sponsorship.
• Minnesota State Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBar association partner supporting CLC's training programs and CLE credit administration for volunteer attorneys.
• DonateStock.comminorOthersPartner enabling supporters to make stock donations quickly and securely, allowing CLC to receive stock gifts efficiently.
• Charitable Adult Rides & Services (CARS)minorOthersPartner processing real estate donations, handling mortgages, liens, and closing costs to simplify property giving for donors.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Youth Law: NCYL is a national nonprofit law firm focused on the rights of children and youth in child welfare, juvenile justice, and education systems. Closely comparable: legal advocacy + impact litigation + policy reform targeting the same foster-care population.
• Voices for Children (San Diego): Voices for Children trains and supports Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for foster children in San Diego. Direct analogue: nonprofit intermediary matching trained community volunteers/casual attorneys to court-appointed representation of foster youth.
• Children's Law Center (Washington, D.C.): The flagship DC-based Children's Law Center provides free legal services to at-risk children in the District of Columbia. It is the closest direct peer — same core mission of free legal representation for vulnerable youth, same pro bono attorney model, same court-appointment dependence.
• Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): KIND provides free legal representation to immigrant children in the US via a national network of attorney partners. Direct comparable: nonprofit, free legal aid model, heavy reliance on trained pro bono attorneys, child-focused mission.
• Children's Rights: Children's Rights litigates on behalf of children in state foster care systems, combining direct representation with systemic reform lawsuits. Strong analogue for CLC's combined direct-representation + amicus + policy advocacy model.
• Juvenile Law Center: Juvenile Law Center is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit focused on juvenile and child welfare law with advocacy, litigation, and policy reform focus. Closely comparable mission (advancing rights of youth in state systems) and operating model (legal nonprofit with policy practice).

Broad incumbents

• Public Counsel: Public Counsel is California's largest pro bono law firm, with programs for children, youth, and education. Comparable as a large-scale legal aid nonprofit using pro bono attorneys for child welfare, but broader in scope than CLC's foster-care focus.
• Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC): SPLC includes a Children's Rights Initiative and uses impact litigation, amicus briefs, and policy reform. Broader advocacy nonprofit, but the litigation/policy model for child welfare is comparable to CLC's amicus + public policy practice.
• The Legal Aid Society: The Legal Aid Society provides civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers, including a juvenile rights practice. A broader legal aid incumbent with a dedicated child welfare practice operating under similar court-appointment and pro bono economics.

Regional players

• Minnesota Disability Law Center: Minnesota Disability Law Center provides free legal aid to Minnesotans with disabilities — a regional peer from the same legal aid ecosystem in Minnesota with overlapping pro bono and court-appointment models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clcmnorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CLCofMN
• Facebookfacebook.com/CLCMNORG
• Instagraminstagram.com/clcmnorg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Children's Law Center of Minnesota