About Us
Board of Directors
Kehinde Durowade
ElevateNext Law
Tori Bobryk
King and Spaulding
Daniel Raymer
Proskauer Rose LLP
Natallie Santana
Cipolla Law Group
Tanya Hampton
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Our Staff
Laura Hoover
Executive Director & Supervising Attorney
Brigitte Kocheny, J.D.
Supervising Staff Attorney: A2J & Afghan Program
Asylum, Minors & Removal Defense
Acacia Program
Children's Legal Center staff provide free legal and social services to Unaccompanied Minors both detained in and released from ORR custody. We assist detained Unaccompanied Minors in Long Term Foster Care (LTFC) & Short Term Foster Care (STFC) facilities throughout Illinois & Indiana.
Jennifer Vazquez
Executive Law Clerk
STFC, LTFC & Released Representation
Sarah Phelps
Program Manager
STFC, LTFC & Released Representation
Maria Roman Garcia
Student Staff Attorney
Detained Representation (LTFC)
Oscar Franco
Staff Attorney
Detained Representation (LTFC)
Julisa Garcia
Student Staff Attorney
Detained Representation (STFC)
Cristina Sandoval
Student Staff Attorney
Released Representation
Jaime Alberto Ortiz Zavala
Paralegal
Released Representation
Daniela Salazar Saavedra
Student Staff Attorney
Released Representation
Laura Pérez
Senior Law Clerk
Released Representation
Rodolfo René
Paralegal
Detained Representation (STFC)
Alejandro Bello
Law Clerk
Released Representation
Lina Pérez
Social Worker
Released Representation
Omar Mejia
Social Worker
Released Representation
Hannah Frankel
Law Clerk
Released Representation
Beatriz Forchinetti
Staff Attorney
Released Representation
Pablo Arredando
Social Services Clerk
STFC, LTFC & Released Representation
A2J Program
Children's Legal Center staff provide free legal and social services to children and their families including Afghan Nationals and Unaccompanied Minors released from ORR custody through the Access to Justice (A2J) grant.
Karina Serna
Senior Law Clerk
Asylum, Minors & Removal Defense
Nathalie Rodriguez
Law Clerk
Asylum, Minors & Removal Defense
Afghan Nationals Program
Children's Legal Center Staff provide free legal services to Afghan families who were paroled into the United States. CLC works to assist these families with obtaining permanent immigration relief.
Joshua Filani
Staff Attorney
Afghan Nationals
Palwasha Sanie
Law Clerk
Afghan Nationals
Chasidy Clark
Staff Attorney
Afghan Nationals
VCVA Program
Children's Legal Center staff provide free legal and social services to victims of crimes through the Violent Crime Victim Assistance (VCVA) grant. Our clients include victims of domestic violence, trafficking & other violent crimes committed both inside and outside of the United States.
Lindsey Sanderson
Student Staff Attorney
Victims of Crime
IEJF/LTF Program
Children's Legal Center staff provide free legal services to clients with Guardianship & Domestic Relations cases through both the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) & the Lawyers Trust Fund (LTF).
Pablo Moreno
Student Staff Attorney
Guardianship/Domestic Relations
Dafne Grafias
Staff Attorney
Guardianship/Domestic Relations
LSRA Program
Children's Legal Center provides free legal services to individuals and families bussed to Illinois from various countries such as Nicaragua, Venezuela & Honduras through the Legal Services for Recent Arrivals (LSRA) grant. Services include Know Your Rights presentations & assistance with Asylum applications.
Nicholas Valdivia
Student Staff Attorney
Legal Services for Recent Arrivals
Nathalie Rodriguez
Law Clerk
Legal Services for Recent Arrivals
Student Interns from the following schools:
Chicago-Kent College of Law
University of Illinois at Chicago
Northwestern University
Concordia University
DePaul University
New England Law | Boston
Loyola University Chicago
University of Chicago
Our Supporters
Grants
