Social Workers in the Legal Settings
The Center for Elder Law and Justice Recognizes Social Work Month
Written By: Isabelle Hogan, Columbia University SSW MSW ‘25
Edited By: Corey Haertel, University at Buffalo SSW MSW ‘25
The Center for Elder Law and Justice joins many organizations across the nation in recognizing March as National Social Work Month to honor the invaluable contributions of social workers.
Experiencing challenging life events, such as the loss of stable housing, the loss of work or income or escaping domestic and family violence, often brings individuals in contact with both legal and social service professionals. Inextricably linked legal and social issues have been shown to be a common experience and the Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) has found by utilizing a team of integrated professionals, including social workers and attorneys, we can better serve the client and competently address their intertwined issues.
Throughout the profession’s history, social workers have sought to ensure that all people have equal access to the resources and opportunities that allow them to meet their basic needs. Often times, in our society, this includes legal services as well. The goal of holistic client-centered representation can be expanded through the establishment of legal-social work collaboration, providing a multi-disciplinary approach to client advocacy.
At CELJ, social workers have been able to work in tandem with attorneys to create successful outcomes for clients:
Guardianship:
The Guardianship Unit team is made up of both attorneys and social workers; both which serve as Court- Appointed Article-81 guardians. The lawyers handle legal guardianship matters, having authority over financial and personal decision-making for the clients. The social workers work closely with the clients, performing home/facility visits, attending medical appointments/care plan meetings, and assessing their personal needs. There is cohesive collaboration between the team and during unit meetings where cases are comprehensively reviewed with input from both social workers and attorneys considered. By working together, the Guardianship Unit can fully address the needs of the client, viewing the individual through a strengths-based approach and providing them with the best possible care and support.
Kinship:
The Kinship Care Unit provides legal representation to kinship caregivers with attorneys working tirelessly in custody, guardianship, adoption, child support and neglect and abuse cases. In a recent case, an attorney in the unit was looking to provide a client with mental health resources for a teen. The social worker within the unit was able to use their past experiences and knowledge base as well as find new resources to put together a reference sheet to pass along to the client. The sheet can now be utilized in future situations. In another case, a client needed help with finding beds for their grandchildren she was obtaining custody of, and the social worker was able to assist in connecting the client with organizations that provided beds for free and assisted with filling out the application. To set the clients up for success, while the attorneys focus on the legal matters, social workers are filling in the biopsychosocial gaps that exist for the client and help to serve their needs holistically.
Social workers are trained to offer alternative perspectives such as those on human rights, trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practice. Often, when working through a legal case, these perspectives may not always be considered but when social workers and lawyers collaborate, they are able to develop solutions that are integrated. Additionally, when social workers include the legal perspective, they can ensure a responsiveness to legal rights and obligations in the practice area of law are maximized and the client outcomes achieved.
Throughout my internship at CELJ, I have witnessed countless times how social workers have been beneficial as clients of CELJ often present with more than just legal issues. I have seen how social workers’ expertise in crisis management, conflict resolution, and their work with complicated family dynamics lead to crucial contributions to the legal services team.
The collaboration between social workers and attorneys has become increasingly important as both legal and social services are challenged by increasing client needs and decreasing resources. By adopting a collaborative and comprehensive approach, the clients are ultimately better served, and the organization has a positive impact on the broad community it represents.