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AOI: Children and the Law

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Ehlena with her dog fighting for disability rights on the steps of the Supreme Court. Ehlena with her dog fighting for disability rights on the steps of the Supreme Court.

Features Spring 2017

A Girl, Her Wonder Dog, and a Supreme Court Ruling

Last Halloween was momentous for Brent and Stacy Fry and their 12-year-old daughter, Ehlena. While Ehlena’s peers were getting ready for trick-or-treating, the young girl and her retired service dog, Wonder, were at the U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments in their disability-rights case Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools. 

Cover story image of two Detroit public schools. Cover story image of two Detroit public schools.

Cover Story Spring 2017

Can Detroit Schools Be Saved?

Think of everything you’ve heard about Detroit Public Schools in recent years: gym floors buckling, walls covered in toxic black mold, archaic math books scattered around the classroom floor of an abandoned school. A state bailout and restructuring plan. Teacher shortages, fraud charges against suppliers, and what The New York Times described as a “chaotic mix of charters and traditional public schools,” in which students in many charters as well as traditional public schools lag behind in testing and other metrics.

Now set those ideas to the side for a moment, and meet Stephen Chennault III, known as Trey. 

Fiza Quraishi, ’07 and family. Fiza Quraishi, ’07 and family.

Impact Fall 2016

Youth Law Fellowship Honors Fiza Quraishi, ’07

For young lawyers with a passion for helping disadvantaged children, pursuing such a career is limited by scarce job opportunities. A new fellowship will offer a gateway by bringing Michigan Law students to the National Center for Youth Law (NCYL)—while honoring a woman who left an enormous legacy at both institutions.

Beauty image of the Law School Reading Room Beauty image of the Law School Reading Room

@UMICHLAW Fall 2016

@UMICHLAW: Fall 2016

Prof. Edward Cooper's clap out  |  Mich. governor signs Michigan Law clinic bills  |  Child Welfare Appellate Clinic scores three big wins  |  and more...

3L Dani Angeli, client Ashley, and 3L Alanna Farber. 3L Dani Angeli, client Ashley, and 3L Alanna Farber.

@UMICHLAW Spring 2016

Michigan Law’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic: Theory and Practice Come Together in Trial Experience

In 2014, a woman named Ashley came to Michigan Law’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic to help her gain custody of her children from her violently abusive husband. She met 2Ls Dani Angeli and Alanna Farber, who became her champions, working with Ashley on the case all the way through her trial. 

Savannah Zuniga, age 8, has two rare conditions that affect her mobility, speech, and cognition. The Pediatric Advocacy Clinic at Michigan Law has worked with her family to ensure that her therapy is covered by her Medicaid managed care plan. “I pretty much take care of her 24/7,” says her mother, Chrystal, pictured at right with Savannah. Savannah Zuniga, age 8, has two rare conditions that affect her mobility, speech, and cognition. The Pediatric Advocacy Clinic at Michigan Law has worked with her family to ensure that her therapy is covered by her Medicaid managed care plan. “I pretty much take care of her 24/7,” says her mother, Chrystal, pictured at right with Savannah.

Cover Story Spring 2015

Doctor’s Orders: Call Your Lawyer

Medical-legal partnerships, such as the Pediatric Advocacy Clinic at Michigan Law, address the social conditions that affect the health and well-being of people and communities. Says Clinic Director Debra Chopp: “The idea is that the legal clinic becomes part of the medical team. We’re all working together to improve the health of the child.”

Young girl hugging her father Young girl hugging her father

Features Spring 2014

Detroit Center for Family Advocacy: Keeping Families Together

The Detroit Center for Family Advocacy (CFA), founded by Vivek Sankaran, ’01, a clinical professor of law in the Law School’s Child Advocacy Law Clinic, works like this: An attorney from the center partners with a social worker and family advocate to remove legal barriers and safety risks that otherwise might cause a child to be put in the foster care system. 

Dan Varner, ’94 meeting with Michigan Law Students Dan Varner, ’94 meeting with Michigan Law Students

Cover Story Spring 2014

Dan Varner, ’94: Fostering Excellence in Education

Formerly a program officer at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and CEO at Think Detroit PAL, Dan Varner, ’94, is the CEO of Excellent Schools Detroit, a coalition of education, government, community, and philanthropic leaders and organizations whose goal is to ensure an “excellent education for every child.”

Felicia Andrews, ’04 working with children in Detroit Felicia Andrews, ’04 working with children in Detroit

Cover Story Spring 2014

Felicia Andrews, ’04: Helping Youth Succeed Through Team 313

A self-described “impact person,” Felicia Andrews, ’04, reassessed her career goals and decided that the changes she was making at the macro level in South Africa through her work with the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development could be applied at the micro level in Detroit. 

Vivek S. Sankaran, ’01 Vivek S. Sankaran, ’01

@UMICHLAW

Sankaran Challenges Michigan’s One-Parent Doctrine

Since his arrival in 2005, Professor Vivek S. Sankaran, ’01, has been working to change Michigan's one-parent doctrine. It states that the court gets jurisdiction over a child based on the finding that one parent is unfit. “My initial reaction was that this is insane, this idea that you can take children away from both parents based solely on findings against one,” he says.