Center for Family Representation is a New York City-based nonprofit legal services organization specializing in family defense and youth advocacy, dedicated to keeping families together and minimizing time spent in foster care or juvenile detention. Since 2002, the organization has provided free, interdisciplinary legal and social work support with a focus on equity, inclusion, and community-based solutions.
Using a holistic and client-centered approach, CFR employs teams of attorneys, social workers, and advocates to represent parents, youth, and families primarily in Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. The organization works both in court and within communities to address systemic issues, offering early intervention during ACS involvement and advocating for policy reforms that protect Black, brown, and low-income families from unnecessary separation and injustice.
Services Offered
- Family Defense
- Youth Defense Practice
- Community Advocacy Project (including early defense during ACS investigations and record clearing)
- Criminal Defense
- Housing & Public Benefits assistance
- Immigration Defense
- Appeals
- Policy & Advocacy reform
- Training & Technical Assistance for practitioners
- Social Work Services
- Mentoring programs
CFR primarily serves clients in New York City, with a focus on Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx. The organization has been recognized as a “Top Workplace” by City & State New York and has contributed to reducing foster system costs by an estimated $50 million while helping thousands of children remain with their families.
