Erin Keane

Youth Justice Education Clinic

Erin Keane, Youth Justice Education Clinic

After two years in YJEC, Erin is one of our fiercest advanced students. Erin worked with a young man with severe unaddressed disabilities who attended more than ten schools and lived in even more foster care placements – it is no small feat that Erin developed a strong rapport with him despite his distrust of adults who disappointed him before. To help him reach high school graduation and thrive beyond, Erin advocated at multiple IEP meetings for meaningful services and access to regional center as a lifelong resource. Erin also collaborated with defense attorneys to offer creative mitigation which resulted in the dismissal of two of his criminal cases. Erin helped draft and file a due process complaint for another client who had been denied services at school for years, successfully obtaining compensatory services. This past year, Erin advocated for a young client who had been pushed out of both a public school and a private school. Employing strong negotiation and complaint-drafting skills and knowledge of contract law, Erin was able to advocate for tuition reimbursement and readmission to his school of choice. We are so proud of Erin and look forward to following her career at Children’s Law Center!