Pegasus Legal Services for Children

What Pegasus Legal Services for Children does

Pegasus Legal Services for Children is a New Mexico nonprofit legal aid organization founded in 2002 by attorneys Tara Ford and Liz McGrath in Albuquerque, operating from 505 Marquette Ave NW, Suite 1350. It provides free civil legal services to children, youth, and caregivers across the state, with a headcount of 11-50 staff. Its service portfolio is organized into five programmatic areas: Systemic Advocacy (policy reform, including the Kevin S. settlement monitoring work for 4,700+ foster children), the Youth Law Project (homeless, runaway, and transitioning foster youth), Kinship Guardianship (with a statewide helpline and pro se document library), Child Abuse and Neglect representation as Guardian ad Litems in the 2nd Judicial District and ICWA court, and Young Parents services for parents 25 and under.

Pegasus does not operate proprietary technology. Service delivery rests on attorney case work, a phone helpline, downloadable self-help forms in English and Spanish, and community outreach including shelter presentations. Bilingual capacity, trauma-informed practice, and ICWA specialization are core operational attributes. The organization cannot independently open cases; Guardian ad Litem and youth attorney appointments are routed through the New Mexico Office of Family Representation and Advocacy.

The organization is funded by donations and grants rather than fees. A suggested individual contribution of $10 per week ($520 per year) is positioned as funding an uncontested guardianship representation. Institutional support includes the Annie E. Casey Foundation (Juvenile Justice Collaborative) and Con Alma Health Foundation, with governance provided by a board chaired by Matt Loehman and executive leadership by Bette Fleishman. Pegasus has publicly positioned itself through amicus participation in Haaland v. Brackeen and systemic complaints against New Mexico school districts, indicating that systemic advocacy is a strategic pillar on par with direct representation.

Name

Pegasus Legal Services for Children

Legal name

Pegasus Legal Services for Children

Website

https://pegasuslaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pegasus Legal Services for Children is a New Mexico nonprofit founded in 2002 that provides free civil legal services — including Guardian ad Litem representation, kinship guardianship, and youth advocacy — to foster children, kinship caregivers, homeless youth, and Native American children across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Legal Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

Keywords

• Children's legal services
• Civil legal representation
• Guardian ad litem
• Kinship guardianship legal aid
• Child welfare advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

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, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, Pegasus operates entirely on donations and grants. Services are provided free of charge to children, youth, and caregivers. The organization accepts donations, with a suggested contribution of $10/week ($520/year) to fund attorney representation in uncontested guardianship cases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pegasus Legal Services for Children is a nonprofit legal services agency providing free civil legal representation to children, youth, and caregivers across New Mexico. Core offerings include direct court representation as Guardian ad Litems and youth attorneys, kinship guardianship services for grandparents and family caregivers, the Youth Law Project for homeless and at-risk youth, systemic policy advocacy, and a statewide Guardianship Legal Helpline for information and referrals.

Product overview

Pegasus Legal Services for Children is a nonprofit legal services agency offering a portfolio of interconnected services focused on children's civil legal needs. The core offerings include Systemic Advocacy for policy reform, the Youth Law Project for emancipation and family law services, Kinship Guardianship legal services with an associated helpline and pro se document resources, and Child Abuse and Neglect representation as Guardian ad Litems in the 2nd Judicial District and ICWA court. The organization also provides informational resources on Education Law and maintains a collection of educational publications. All services are provided free of charge to children, youth, and their caregivers in New Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Law Project: Provides advocacy and legal services to youth who are homeless or have run away, need access to education, health or mental health care, and/or are transitioning from foster care to adulthood.
• Kinship Guardianship Program
• Guardian ad Litem Program

Products and services

• Systemic Advocacy

Quantifiable outcome

• Kinship Guardianship Legal Helpline provides statewide service
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Disability Rights New MexicocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Kevin S. settlement Monitoring and Implementation Team alongside Pegasus and Public Counsel. Receives and analyzes data from state agencies and seeks community input on implementation of child welfare reform.
• Public CounselcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Kevin S. settlement Monitoring and Implementation Team. Co-counsel in the Kevin S. lawsuit that seeks to transform New Mexico's child welfare system.
• Native American Disability Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizational plaintiff in the Kevin S. lawsuit. Co-authored 'Missed Partnerships: Native American Resource Families in New Mexico' report with Pegasus, supported by Con Alma Health Foundation.
• National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the filing of a Supreme Court amicus brief supporting ICWA with 31 children's rights organizations. Pegasus joined as a co-filer.
• Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPegasus was part of the leadership team that developed the ICWA court and partners with the court to support, protect, and actualize the rights of Native children and youth.
• Office of Family Representation and AdvocacycoreOthersState agency that appoints Pegasus as Guardian ad Litems (GALs) and youth attorneys in child abuse and neglect cases. Pegasus cannot enter cases independently.
• New Mexico Supreme CourtcoreOthersAppointed Pegasus to the Children's Court Rules Committee and the Children's Court Improvement Commission, which establish and reform children's law processes and procedures in New Mexico.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Juvenile Law Center: National nonprofit advocating for the rights of children in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems through litigation, policy, and education. Comparable in mission and advocacy approach to Pegasus's child welfare reform work.
• Public Counsel: Largest pro bono public interest law firm in the United States, providing free legal services to vulnerable populations including children. Pegasus is explicitly co-counsel with Public Counsel on the Kevin S. settlement.
• Children's Rights: National nonprofit that uses legal advocacy and impact litigation to reform child welfare and foster care systems. Directly comparable to Pegasus's role as co-counsel in Kevin S. and its focus on systemic reform of state child welfare systems.
• National Center for Youth Law: National nonprofit legal organization focused on improving the lives of children and youth, particularly those in foster care and juvenile justice. Closely comparable to Pegasus's Youth Law Project and systemic advocacy work.
• Disability Rights New Mexico: New Mexico's federally designated protection and advocacy system for people with disabilities. Co-plaintiff in Kevin S. alongside Pegasus, with overlapping interest in foster children with disabilities and joint monitoring of state compliance.
• Native American Disability Law Center: Native-led nonprofit providing legal advocacy to Native Americans with disabilities, and co-plaintiff in the Kevin S. lawsuit with Pegasus. Strongly comparable in serving Native American children and families in child welfare matters.

Regional players

• Advocates for Children of New York: New York-based nonprofit providing legal and advocacy services to children in poverty, including foster care, education, and juvenile justice. Comparable in mission and service mix to Pegasus, but operating in a different geography.
• Children's Law Center of California: California-based nonprofit providing legal services, representation, and policy advocacy for children in foster care, kinship care, and juvenile justice. Closely comparable in service model to Pegasus, but serving a different state.

Others

• National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC): National membership and advocacy organization for children's attorneys and GALs. Pegasus joined NACC in filing the ICWA amicus brief. Compares as a peer in the professional children's law ecosystem rather than a direct service provider.

Broad incumbents

• Kids In Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit providing legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children. Compares to Pegasus as a child-focused legal services nonprofit, though operating in a different substantive area (immigration vs. child welfare/family law).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pegasuslaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/PegasusLaw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pegasus-legal-services-for-children

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Pegasus Legal Services for Children