Children’s Law Center

Background

The Children’s Law Center of Minnesota was established in 1995 as a nonprofit legal services organization. The organization operates primarily in Hennepin and Ramsey Counties, the two most populous counties in Minnesota and home to the Twin Cities, though it engages in statewide advocacy. For most of its history, the CLC focused on coordinating volunteer attorney representation for foster youth, and over time, it expanded into direct legislative lobbying, coalition work, and appellate litigation. ^{5 6 7}

Activities

Legal Services

The Children’s Law Center of Minnesota recruits, trains, and coordinates a network of pro bono attorneys to represent foster youth aged 10 to 21 in juvenile protection proceedings. As of 2024, the group reported providing direct legal representation to more than 400 children annually, coordinated through a pool of more than 200 active volunteer attorneys. In its application for state legislative funding in 2025, the CLC reported having represented more than 4,100 children and trained more than 1,000 volunteer attorneys over its history. ^{4 8}

McKenna’s Law

The CLC’s most notable legislative lobbying effort supported what became known as McKenna’s Law, which was passed in 2017. The law requires that children ages 10 and older in juvenile protection proceedings be informed of their right to legal representation. ^{9 10}

Appellate Litigation and Amicus Activity

The CLC secured a precedential ruling from the Minnesota Court of Appeals in February 2024, holding that counties could not detain non-delinquent foster care youth in secure detention facilities beyond 24 hours. The group also prepares and files amicus briefs before the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court in cases affecting foster care youth. ^{11 12}

Legislative and Policy Advocacy

The CLC monitors and engages with the Minnesota Legislature on child welfare policy. The group lobbies on a variety of bills related to foster care and child welfare. In 2025, the CLC submitted testimony requesting $150,000 in state biennial appropriations to support its general operations. ^{13 8 6}

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The CLC maintains a formal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program governing its internal governance, grantmaking, and contracting practices. The organization conducts periodic self-assessments of board and staff appointments and has committed to racial equity goals as “central aspects” of its governance and programming. ^{14 6}

Funding

The Children’s Law Center of Minnesota’s revenue was approximately $1,009,920 in fiscal year 2024, of which approximately 79 percent came from contributions and grants. The Otto Bremer Trust has funded the group over multiple years, and the organization has also applied for state grant funding. Law firms serving as institutional partners and sponsors include Taft, Stinson, Faegre Drinker, Fredrikson, Dorsey and Whitney; Gibson Dunn; Greenberg Traurig; and Merchant and Gould, among others; UnitedHealth Group has also been listed as a sponsor. ^{8 15 3 1}

Leadership

Nikki Farago was hired as the executive director of the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota in January 2026. Farago holds a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and has nearly two decades of experience in child welfare and family law. She spent 13 years in executive leadership roles within the Minnesota state government, overseeing state legislative operations, communications, and external relations, and was on several statewide committees focused on child and family outcomes. ¹⁶