Published January, 2006
Report of the Working Group on the Role of Sex and Sexuality, Nevada Law Journal (2006)
In January 2006, the Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada hosted a working conference on Representing Children in Families: Children's Advocacy and Justice Ten Years After Fordham. Out of this conference came this Working Group on the Role of Sex and Sexuality Report, which provides lawyers with recommendations on how to provide impartial and culturally sensitive legal services to young clients no matter their sexual orientation, gender or gender identity. The recommendations are accompanied by commentary that highlights the potential impact these issues can have on a lawyer's ability to provide effective legal services. The commentary is also meant to help lawyers gain insight into the disparate treatment their clients may face based on their sexual orientation, etc.
The report provides a guide for all members of the legal community to make changes regarding the treatment of clients who are children. Lawyers are provided guidelines for conducting discussions on sensitive topics related to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Additionally, the report suggests areas for continuing legal education and training to help lawyers become more culturally competent. The Working Group advocates for changes to current statutes and policies and proposes ways lawyers should contribute to the changes. Finally, in order to ensure the improvement of child advocacy, the group proposes topics for further study by courts, bar associations and other professional legal groups.
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