ISBA Members,

The Child Law Section Council has established the Subcommittee "GAL Best Practices."  Attached is the mission statement, which was approved by the Child Law Section Council.  It identifies specific tasks, which include: survey, collect, assess, develop, and propose.  GALs are appointed in many areas of the law.  If you are interested in your area of law and how it intersects with GALs, this email is for you.

The goals we hope to accomplish are: A) Statewide Best Practice Guidelines; B) GAL Handbook; C) Standard Forms/Orders; D) Education, Training, and Mentorship for GALs; and E) Legislative and Policy Recommendations.

In order to work toward these goals, we have created the following sub-subcommittees:

1. Forms & Orders - creation of clear, efficient statewide forms for GALs.
2. Questionnaires & Surveys - creation and distribution of questionnaires and surveys to GALs and other stakeholders to obtain data-driven information which will be utilized to reach the goals of the subcommittee.
3. Training & Education - creation of GAL training and education to foster standards of best practices.
4. Statutes & Policy - review of current GAL statutes for differences and similarities as well as provide recommendations to foster clarity and consistency pertaining to legislation, rules, regulations, and policies.
5. Community Outreach - communication with each bar association in the state to obtain statewide participation, including but not limited to obtaining information from each circuit on a) local court rules on GALs; b) list of GALs in all areas of practice; and, c) local court forms.
6. Handbook – creation of a GAL Best Practices Handbook for the State of Illinois incorporating the work of the above sub-subcommittees.

If you have any interest in being on a sub-subcommittee or potentially a leadership role in one of these sub-subcommittees, please email us at gal.bestpractices@gmail.com to let us know your interest.

We look forward to working with you all.

Thank you,

Josette Allen – Co-Chair, GAL Best Practices Subcommittee, Child Law Section Council
Lindsay Roalfs – Co-Chair, GAL Best Practices Subcommittee, Child Law Section Council