An Outstanding Achevement Recognized With National Child Advocacy Award

AUGUST 2003 - The National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) announced that Theresa Spahn, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of the Child's Representative and the University of Miami Children and Youth Law Clinic have been named recipients of the NACC's 2003 Outstanding Legal Advocacy Award.

Theresa Spahn, a former practicing attorney and juvenile court magistrate, became Executive Director of the newly formed Office of the Child's Representative (OCR) in Denver in 2001.  The OCR is a state agency created to provide high quality legal representation for children.  In the course of 2 years, Ms. Spahn turned the concept of the OCR into a reality.  Under her leadership, the OCR evaluated the quality of representation of children by traveling to each of Colorado's 22 judicial districts, assessing performance and needs, and setting up local oversight committees.  Once a centralized system was in place, the process of obtaining qualified attorneys and providing training and technical assistance began.  Among the most notable accomplishments in this process is the conversion of attorney pay from a flat fee system, which discouraged effective representation to an hourly rate which recognizes the value of legal representation for children and encourages the delivery of the full benefit of legal services to children.  Because of the work of Theresa Spahn and the OCR, Colorado is on its way to providing premier legal service for children.        

The NACC is a national professional membership and child advocacy organization.  The NACC presents its Outstanding Legal Advocacy Award to individuals and agencies making important contributions to the well being of children through advocacy efforts.