On February 24, the Family Law Society hosted its seventh annual Trivia Night fundraiser at Visions Reception Hall. Each year, the Family Law Society sponsors the event to raise money for the Child and Family Law Services Clinic.
The event hosted around 220 attorneys and legal professionals and UMKC Law faculty, staff and students, and the Family Law Society believes they raised around $10,000 through participation fees and the silent auction. The Trivia Night had a disco-era theme for the night and many attendees dressed to impress. Adjunct Professor Peter Raith also served as the emcee. The Tax Clinic won the night, closely followed by Berkowitz and Cook and Professor O’Brien’s family.
Since 2001, the UMKC Child and Family Services has helped obtain legal permanency for more than 600 children, in addition to providing opportunities for student to gain hands-on experience representing “real” clients. The Clinic is a free legal service for parents, relatives and custodians needing assistance to obtain custodial orders to achieve permanency for children. Clinic students learn about Missouri’s child protection system and the juvenile court, and receive additional training form allied experts in domestic violence, drug testing, and public entitlement programs. The Clinic also partners with area agencies to present programs as part of Kansas City’s observance of Child Abuse Awareness Month in April each year.
