Leveraging Technology to Improve Client Engagement & Legal Representation in Child Welfare Cases

In this NACC member webinar, Gwendolyn Clegg from Oklahoma’s Office of Family Representation and Ryan O’Donnell, CEO & Co-Founder of Your Case Plan, will discuss how technology is reshaping client engagement and legal representation in child welfare cases. The session will highlight the successful pilot of the “Your Case Plan” app in Oklahoma, showcasing how it has improved family engagement, provided timely updates, and enhanced the quality of legal representation. Ryan will share his personal journey, from being a pre-adoptive foster parent to a passionate advocate for reunification, and how his foster son’s case inspired the creation of the app.

Participants will gain insight into how attorneys can use technology to improve client engagement and coordination between everyone involved in a child welfare case. Ryan will recount the compelling story of his foster son’s nearly seven-year journey in foster care, despite his father never being accused of abuse or neglect, and how Your Case Plan helped bridge the communication gap between family members, legal representatives, and the court system. Attendees will also learn how to recognize common challenges and biases that can delay reunification and explore how technology can foster collaboration and ensure more accurate, real-time information in child welfare cases. 

Presenters:

Gwendolyn Clegg, JD – Executive Director, Oklahoma Office of Family Representation 

Gwendolyn L. Clegg has dedicated the past twenty-three years of her legal career to representing parents, children, and families involved in Oklahoma’s juvenile deprived court system. In 2024, Gwendolyn Clegg was appointed as the Executive Director of Oklahoma’s new state-wide Family Representation and Advocacy Program. The Program is a legislative-funded central office for high-quality legal representation for parents and children. Prior to her appointment, she was the Program Director of the Parent Representation Defense Program at Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc., in Tulsa County after having served the program as the Managing Attorney. LASO’s parent defense program was the first and only proof of concept interdisciplinary parent defense office in the state of Oklahoma. She received her JD from the University of Tulsa, College of Law in 2000 and her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northeastern State University in 1994. 

Ryan O’Donnell, Tech Entrepreneur & Former Foster Parent; CEO & Co-Founder, Your Case Plan by Sunlight 

Ryan O’Donnell is a serial tech entrepreneur and former foster parent on a mission to use technology for good. Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, he serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Sunlight and is on a mission to strengthen America’s social safety net, starting with our broken child welfare system. Their first product, Your Case Plan, improves legal representation and communication in child welfare cases in order to reduce the time children spend in foster care. He brings over a decade of experience starting and scaling technology start-ups, where he has helped over 30,000 people get jobs, build two national fundraising platforms, and broke the Guinness World Record for the largest food drive in 24 hours at a single location. He is a proud graduate of the NC School of Science and Mathematics and NC State University. 

CLE:

California (60-minute hour) – This participatory activity has been accredited by the State Bar of California for a maximum of 1.5 hours of General credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE after the session concludes.

Colorado (50‐minute hour) – This course has been accredited by the Colorado Board of Continuing Legal and Judicial Education for a maximum of 1.8 units of General credit for live and on-demand participation. Attorneys must sign in for CLE after the session concludes. Colorado is a self-report state.

Attorneys in all other jurisdictions must seek CLE accreditation individually if desired.