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Melissa Paul-Franklyn
Melissa Paul-Franklyn , Esq ., is the Assistant-Attorney-in-charge at The Legal Aid Society Juvenile Rights Practice ( JRP ). Melissa has worked with JRP for 12 + years , primarily in Child Protective Law , in various boroughs of New York City . She is currently a Supervising Attorney at JRP ’ s Manhattan Trial Office .
At the Juvenile Right Practice , Attorneys for the Children are court appointed to represent children and youth in the Juvenile Justice system , as well as , in Neglect and Abuse cases filed against parents and persons legally responsible by the Administration of Children Services in Family Court . As a Law Grad , paralegal and then as a Staff Attorney working for LAS , Melissa has represented hundreds of children in her various roles in the child welfare system . She currently co-teaches the Juvenile Rights Law Clinic as an Adjunct Professor at New York Law School , where her main objective is to introduce law students to the field of child
welfare and the art of being a defense litigator in Public Interest Law .
In her role as New York State Coordinator for the National Association of Counsel for Children ( NACC ), Melissa serves as a liaison between child welfare practitioners , the courts , and organizations throughout New York State .
Melissa obtained a law degree from Benjamin N . Cardozo School of Law , Yeshiva University in NYC , class of 2008 . Prior to that , Melissa taught Mathematics to adult education students , while studying for her B . A at McGill University in her hometown of Montreal , Canada . She is the only child of parents originating from the Spice Island of Grenada , who emigrated to Canada in the 1960s . Melissa has a passion for education and trains both newly licensed and experienced attorneys in child welfare law . Melissa has a deep interest in fostering mentorship and diversity in the workplace and seeks out opportunities to be of service to the community .