Shipman partner Joette Katz presented the keynote address at Lawyers for Children America's (LFCA) dinner on Wednesday, June 8 at the Glastonbury Boathouse. The dinner was hosted by LCFA to celebrate the work done by lawyers on behalf of children. Joette is the former CT Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, and is a former Connecticut Supreme Court Justice who has spent much of her life advocating on behalf of Connecticut's children.

Lawyers for Children America is a leading child advocacy organization, protecting the rights of children who are victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment, by providing the highest level of direct pro bono legal representation. LFCA recruits and trains committed lawyers from premiere law firms and corporate legal departments, whose legal counsel ensure that the child client's desires are made known to the court and that the child client receives comprehensive services, including medical, mental health and educational services. LFCA's efforts also include educating lawyers and the private bar about the needs of state child protection systems, with the end goals of improving quality legal representation and engaging the private bar in systemic improvements.