Professor , co-director of Colorado Law鈥檚 Clinical Program, and 鈥�06 each received awards at the 2022 (OCR) Annual Conference, held on September 12 and 13.
Professor Robinson was named the recipient of the Distinguished Contribution to the Practice of Child Representation Award. This award is given to an attorney who 鈥渉as demonstrated extreme generosity and support for other OCR attorneys, whether it is taking the time to answer questions on the listserv, sharing motions and trial notebooks, or simply taking time to discuss a complicated case.鈥�
鈥淧rofessor Robinson is so deserving of this award,鈥� remarked fellow clinical law professor . 鈥淪he has spent her entire career working to improve and strengthen the representation for abused and neglected children. Her work as a lawyer, then in policy and now as a professor has made concrete and lasting changes for our most vulnerable people in society.鈥澛�
Professor Robinson鈥檚 nomination extolls her contributions to the legal community describing how she 鈥渉as been a cornerstone of attorney support and mentoring for more than 15 years in Colorado.鈥�
Professor Robinson鈥檚 teaching and scholarship center on child welfare and juvenile delinquency. In addition to her work co-directing the law school鈥檚 Clinical Program, she directs the Juvenile and Family Law Clinic, through which students represent children and parents in child welfare cases and youth in delinquency and truancy matters. She also co-directs the Juvenile and Family Law Program (JFLP).
Before joining Colorado Law, Professor Robinson represented children and families throughout Colorado and New York City.聽 She was recognized as one of 10 national Civitas Childlaw Scholars and completed her law school education in a specialized program for child advocates at Loyola University Law School in Chicago. After clerking for the Connecticut State Supreme Court, she worked in New York City Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Division. She moved to Colorado to become the Program Director of the National Association of Counsel for Children and directed the NACC Resource Center.
鈥淧rofessor Robinson is tireless in her pursuit of justice,鈥� said Professor England. 鈥淐olorado Law and its students are lucky to have such star.鈥�
Josi McCauley, a 2006 graduate of the law school, was awarded the Covino Advocate of the Year Award. This award recognizes an attorney who demonstrates exceptional advocacy skills, integrity, and compassion in their representation of children.
McCauley鈥檚 nomination describes how she has 鈥渄edicated her legal career to advancing the rights of children at both the trial and appellate levels and has emerged as a true leader in this area of the law.鈥� The nomination eloquently outlines how McCauley holds herself to the highest standards and 鈥渄emonstrates the utmost diligence, professionalism, and compassion.鈥�
A dedicated children鈥檚 rights advocate, McCauley has devoted her career to advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable members of society and to the moral obligations she sets for herself in the practice of juvenile law. McCauley was herself a student in the Juvenile and Family Law Clinic the first year it was offered at Colorado Law. She now practices in the 8th Judicial District of Colorado.
鈥淚 am thrilled to offer my heartiest congratulations to Professor Robinson and Josi McCauley. It is wonderful to see two members of our law school family receive such well-deserved acknowledgement,鈥� said law school Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss. 鈥淏oth of these star lawyers have made an enormous impact聽protecting the interests and lives of our state鈥檚 children and families. We couldn鈥檛 be prouder.鈥�