Children & Youth Representation
The Defender Association of Philadelphia uses a client-centered approach to achieve fair outcomes for our clients.
With our team of more than 500 attorneys, investigators, mitigators, social workers, and other staff, our practice units provide each client with high-quality representation and service.
We ensure that the legal rights of children are protected and respected at every phase of the criminal justice process.
We recognize that children are different from adults and that they should be represented accordingly. Our specially-trained, multidisciplinary team of professionals work together to address the legal challenges and provide holistic representation.
Department Heads:
- Nicole El
- Emily Murbarger
The Child Advocacy Unit (CAU) represents Philadelphia’s children from birth to twenty-one years old.
The CAU protects and promotes the legal interests of children and strives to serve their best interests. This unit works with children who have open dependent petitions in Philadelphia Family Court, victims of neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or abandonment, truancy cases, children facing mental health challenges, and children who need supports as they transition into adult life.
Department Heads:
- Mimi Laver, Chief
- Rebecca Mainor, Assistant Chief
- Marni Gangel, Policy Director
- Beth Kahn
- Sharene Ginyard, Recruitment Director
- Aminah Husam, Peer Advocates
Our Juvenile Special Defense Division / JSDD was created based on the recognition that representation of juveniles who were charged with complex or serious crimes, often with high publicity exposure, required more specialized attention. A “Direct File Juvenile” is someone who is under 18, but at least 15 years old who has been arrested and processed as an adult, and who will initially be treated as an adult in the criminal justice system.
Department Heads:
Learn More
Public defense is community defense. 💙Proper funding helps keep families together, supports people returning home, fights for immigrants facing deportation, and creates alternatives to incarceration that invest in people instead of punishment.
From courtroom advocacy to community outreach, Philly Defenders shows up for Philadelphia every single day, especially for communities too often overlooked.
This graphic shows what Philly Defenders requested in the FY27 budget to continue serving our communities and expanding critical support across the city.While the Mayor’s proposed budget does not expand funding for these investments, we remain hopeful and committed to advocating for the resources our communities deserve.
#FundPhillyDefenders #FundPublicDefense #Philly #PublicDefense #phillynews
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We're so excited to have The Pennsylvania Juvenile Defender Notebook in hand! This is an amazing resource for juvenile defenders to use in real time and for training, updated to reflect crucial legal changes based on the latest brain development research. Congratulations to our team here at the Defender Association and thank you to all who made this possible: Sangeeta Prasad, Office of Public Safety, Juvenile Defenders Association of PA, The Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation, and the Philadelphia Foundation
#PhiladelphiaLaw #LegalTraining #CriminalJusticeReform
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Programs like Defender Day are about meeting people where they are and connecting communities to support before situations escalate.
We’re proud to partner with @preventionpointphiladelphia to help tackle the challenges facing Kensington by connecting people to resources, advocacy, and support in one trusted space.
Continued investment in Philly Defenders helps keep programs like this possible, funding outreach, prevention, and direct community support. 💙
#PhillyDefenders #FundPublicDefense #philly #Kensington #phillynews
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Public defense is community defense. 💙Proper funding helps keep families together, supports people returning home, fights for immigrants facing deportation, and creates alternatives to incarceration that invest in people instead of punishment.
From courtroom advocacy to community outreach, Philly Defenders shows up for Philadelphia every single day, especially for communities too often overlooked.
This graphic shows what Philly Defenders requested in the FY27 budget to continue serving our communities and expanding critical support across the city.While the Mayor’s proposed budget does not expand funding for these investments, we remain hopeful and committed to advocating for the resources our communities deserve.
#FundPhillyDefenders #FundPublicDefense #Philly #PublicDefense #phillynews
Programs like Defender Day are about meeting people where they are and connecting communities to support before situations escalate.
We’re proud to partner with @preventionpointphiladelphia to help tackle the challenges facing Kensington by connecting people to resources, advocacy, and support in one trusted space.
Continued investment in Philly Defenders helps keep programs like this possible, funding outreach, prevention, and direct community support. 💙
#PhillyDefenders #FundPublicDefense #philly #Kensington #phillynews
Showing up for our clients goes beyond the courtroom. That’s why we partnered with @preventionpointphiladelphia to host a Narcan training for our team.
Trainings like this are critical for our attorneys and social workers who meet clients in their communities every day, providing support like court information, probation updates, and warrant searches.
Hit the link in our bio to learn more about our partnership and resources. 🔗
#Phillynews #phillyphilly #HarmReduction #philly #kensingtonphilly
Public defense is community defense. We show up every day to make sure people are not unfairly incarcerated simply because they can’t afford an attorney. We fight for due process, fairness, and the belief that justice should never depend on income.
Thank you to @phlcouncilpresident and @Phlcouncil members who consistently advocate for us, ask the right questions, and recognize the importance of this work. Your support matters. But the truth remains: more funding is still needed to fully meet the needs of our clients, families, and communities.
Full and fair funding means stronger representation, fewer wrongful outcomes, more families kept whole, and a justice system that works for everyone.
Tap the link in bio to see our full FY27 budget proposal and testimony. #PhillyDefenders #fundpublicdefense #fundphillydefenders #FY27Budget #phillynews
Wearing Black today isn’t just a look—it’s a statement.
Public defenders are carrying more cases than ever, with fewer resources to do the job right. And behind every case is a real person who deserves time, care, and a fair shot.
Public defense is a constitutional right.
So why isn’t it funded like one?
#FundPublicDefense #PublicDefenseDay #PhillyDefenders #ProtectThe6th #ARightInNameOnly
This Mother’s Day, Black Mama’s Bail Out is about bringing our people home. @phillybailout is helping free Black mothers and caregivers held pretrial, many of whom are there simply because they can’t afford bail.
Who Qualifies: Black & Afro-Latina women, mothers & caregivers, pregnant individuals, and Black men who are primary caregivers.
Submissions close July 3rd.
Tap the 🔗 in our bio to apply or support the cause. #philly #phillybail #phillynews #phillyphilly #phillyreentry
Today, our Immigration Law Practice rallied alongside @vamos_juntos, @palovesimmigrants, and @nsmphilly for an Emergency Rally to Defend Sanctuary and remove ICE from Philadelphia courtrooms.
Courts are meant to be places of justice—but when ICE shows up, they become places of fear. People are forced to choose between showing up for their case or risking detention. That’s not justice.
A stronger Philadelphia means protecting our communities and ensuring justice is truly accessible to all.
#PhillyDefenders #ImmigrantJustice #DefendSanctuary #KeepICEOut #PublicDefense
Immigrant defense is about protecting people, families, and the communities that make up our city.
Our client did everything right.
He showed up for his routine check-in, followed every rule, and trusted the system. But instead of returning home to his family, he was detained — not because he broke the law, but because of how he was seen.
Stories like his are why immigrant defense matters.
Investing in legal representation and community support ensures people aren’t forced to face high-stakes situations alone — especially when the stakes are their freedom, their families, and their future.
Read more about our immigrant defense program and why it matters in our latest article with @thephiladelphiacitizen. Link in bio. #FundPhillyDefenders #ImmigrantDefense #ICEOut #PhillyDefenders #AccessToJustice ImmigrantRights
