PROFESSOR LUCY JOHNSTON-WALSH AND 3L JAMESHA CALDWELL WERE PRESENTERS AT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNSEL FOR CHILDREN CONFERENCE
September 2024 — 
Professor Lucy Johnston-Walsh and Jamesha Caldwell co-presented at the Child Welfare Law Conference in September for the National Association of Counsel for Children.
Jamesha Caldwell and Lucy Johnston-Walsh presented on the topic of “How Advocacy in Municipal Courts Results in Long-Term Impacts for System-Involved Youth.” Ms. Caldwell is a third-year law student and currently a certified legal intern in the Children’s Advocacy Clinic at Penn State Dickinson Law. Professor Johnston-Walsh is the founding director of the Clinic and Jamesha’s supervisor. Together they have represented youth in municipal court proceedings. They are both acutely aware of the impact these proceedings have on young people, especially when they youth appear in court without legal representation. The presentation began with recognition of the significant racial disparity with the foster care population, court-involved youth and also school discipline. Ms. Caldwell and Professor Johnston-Walsh highlighted the impact of fines and fees on youth and impact of appearing without legal representation. They provided examples of their clients’ lived experiences, and also offered practical takeaways for attorneys who represent youth.
Lucy Johnston-Walsh is an assistant professor of law and founding director of the Dickinson Law Children’s Advocacy Clinic. Professor Johnston-Walsh’s research, teaching and service focus on juvenile law, specifically legal challenges of youth involved in the foster care system. She supervises law students in the legal representation of youth involved in the dependency system and her scholarship directly relates to systemic issues presented through the clinic cases, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of child advocacy. Her recent scholarship has been published in both medical journals and law reviews including articles in Family Court Review, Akron Law Review and Seattle Journal for Social Justice.