Nominations Due May 31, 2026
Mission
The mission of the National Association of Counsel for Children is to advance children’s and parents’ rights by supporting a diverse, inclusive community of child welfare lawyers to provide zealous legal representation, and by advocating for equitable, anti-racist solutions co-designed by people with lived experience. A cornerstone of NACC’s Strategic Plan is Promoting Excellence in legal representation.
The Awards
NACC presents its Promoting Excellence Awards annually to individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the rights and well-being of children and families through high-quality legal representation. View prior recipients. NACC invites nominations for individual attorneys, organizations, and law students who demonstrate excellence in their advocacy efforts for children and families. This year, NACCC will consider award nominations in four categories:
- Outstanding Legal Advocate
- Outstanding New Lawyer
- Outstanding Children’s Law Office/Agency
- Outstanding Law Student
NACC will present the awards in person during its 49th Annual Child Welfare Law Conference in Portland, OR. The awardee need not be present to win, but each award includes one free conference registration. NACC will cover 2-nights hotel expenses for the Outstanding Law Student Awardee.
Call for Nominations
Nominations are submitted by a letter of nomination from the nominating individual or by self-nomination. Supporting letters or additional signatures are strongly encouraged and may be submitted with media reports and/or other supporting documentation (all documents must be combined in a single PDF).
Nominations must be uploaded before the May 31, 2026, deadline. Submit nominations below.
Promoting Excellence Award Selection Considerations:
Outstanding Legal Advocate Award
- Nominee has demonstrated excellence in legal representation and/or policy advocacy throughout their career in child welfare which helps to elevate standards of practice in their community. High-quality legal representation includes knowledge of the law and legal procedure, social sciences and interdisciplinary matters, and zealous advocacy skills; and/or
- Nominee has demonstrated dedication to client-centered practice and advancing equity and justice, including a demonstrated commitment to culturally humble, anti-racist representation; and/or
- Nominee has engaged lived experience experts in practice, policy, or community partnerships; and/or
- Nominee’s contributions have significantly promoted the legal rights, well-being, and opportunities of individuals in the child welfare system; and/or
- Any other relevant information to be considered.
Outstanding New Lawyer Award
- Nominee has practiced law in child welfare on behalf of children, parents, and or agencies for five years or less; and
- Nominee has demonstrated excellence in legal representation or policy advocacy on behalf of children, parents, and/or agencies in the child welfare system (see above definition of high-quality legal representation); and/or
- Nominee has demonstrated dedication to client-centered practice and advancing equity and justice, including a demonstrated commitment to culturally humble, anti-racist representation, and lived experience engagement; and/or
- Nominee has demonstrated early leadership and initiative in advancing excellence and equity in child welfare law, practice, and/or policy in their community; and/or
- Any other relevant information to be considered.
Outstanding Children’s Law Office/Agency Award
- Nominee has demonstrated excellence in law office/agency practice and management on behalf of children in the child welfare system;
- Nominee exemplifies best practices for organizational representation as described in the Children’s Law Office Handbook, including multi-disciplinary representation and engaging peer advocates and young people with lived experience in the child welfare system;
- Nominee has demonstrated leadership, influence, and impact in children’s legal advocacy and in child welfare law in their community/state;
- Nominee has demonstrated a commitment to race equity and anti-racism in the office/agency’s internal practices and programming, as well as in child welfare law in their community/state;
- Any other relevant information to be considered.
Outstanding Law Student Award
- Nominee has demonstrated excellence in advocacy efforts for children and families during law school;
- Nominee has demonstrated dedication to client-centered practice and advancing equity and justice, including a demonstrated commitment to culturally humble, anti-racist representation, and lived experience engageent; and/or
- Nominee has demonstrated early leadership and initiative in engaging in child welfare law, practice, and/or policy in their community; and/or
- Any other relevant information to be considered.
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