30 | January/February 2023 | BAEC Bulletin Children’s Legal Center Bids Farewell to Long Time Leader, Michele Brown
By Bridget O'Connell & Hon. Patrick M. Carney
Attorney Michele Brown is retiring from her position as Chief Attorney at the Children’s Legal Center in Buffalo. The Children’s Legal Center (CLC) was established by former Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, Justice M. Dolores Denman in July 1999. Michele has helmed the center since its inception, providing the highest quality representation for children in Erie County Supreme, Surrogate and Family Courts. Under Michele’s thoughtful leadership over these past two decades, the CLC expanded its work from handling mainly just custody and visitation cases to include representation of children in guardianship, adoption, juvenile delinquency, neglect, and abuse matters and other areas where children are entitled to representation under Family Court Act §249 and elsewhere. Make no mistake, the representation of children is a very nuanced and special business; much like the practice of golf – it is much harder than it looks. Attorneys need to be knowledgeable and skilled in several areas including but not limited to - child development and psychology, education and special education, juvenile justice, family systems and specialized communication strategies. Michele created a space for collaboration amongst all members of the CLC team, which includes social workers and other allied professionals and a learning lab for interns from SUNY Buffalo schools of Law and Social Work among other interns interested in the practice of law. “She always kept things interesting and valued the input from her social workers,” said former CLC Social Worker, Chrissy Sarzynski, LMSW, who now works for the courts. “Michele is one of the fiercest advocates for children that I have known,” stated Sarah Lane Koessler, LMSW, who, like Chrissy, worked with the Children’s Legal Center and now heads the 8th Judicial District’s Children Come First program, “Michele always shows up, never backs down and there is no doubt that she has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of countless children.” “A tireless advocate,” says Erie County Surrogate Judge, Hon. Acea M. Mosey, “Her extensive legal wisdom and practical and caring approach has helped her clients and the Court navigate through sensitive and important matters. She has and will continue to positively touch thousands of lives through the work she has been involved in.” In the past, the work of attorneys for children, once called Law Guardians, was sometimes underappreciated, or overlooked. “In fact,”, says Hon. Kevin M. Carter, Administrative Judge for the 8th Judicial District, “these attorneys have the same obligations to their clients as any attorney, and their work, representing children who cannot advocate for themselves, is crucial and often central to the court’s ability to do justice for a family. Michele was unwavering in her commitment to her clients and rightly insisted that a court seeking to serve the ‘best interests’ of a child, have that child faithfully represented.” Christopher Brechtel, Esq., who worked with the CLC at the outset of his career, shares, “The legacy of Michele’s ferocious and untiring advocacy for children will live on not only in the lives of the thousands of children she represented, but also for decades to come through the children that will be represented by the attorneys that she trained or mentored. She set the standard for child representation. Her example, generous guidance, and freely given advice has improved the entire field. As her work grew on the policy side throughout her career she never strayed from or stopped being a true guardian of the rights of her child clients. Michele relished handling the most difficult and complex matters because it placed her in position to truly impact the lives of her clients.”
This zealousness was obvious to many. Attorney Joan Adams wrote, “When Michele Brown is appointed to represent a child, she will do so with vigor and professionalism - drafting motions, being well prepared and issuing discovery demands followed by trial preparation along the same lines as a parent’s private counsel. And while she is a zealous advocate, passionate about her position and the needs of children, she has always also been a charismatic colleague and one who sincerely cares about her peers.” Echoing these sentiments, Shari Jo Reich an attorney in private practice, noted Michele’s willingness to share her knowledge and mentor, her integrity and her efforts with the Lawyers for Learning program which helps to partner Buffalo students with individual students for tutoring and support. Caring about colleagues and her community is something nearly everyone identifies as being special about Michele. According to Erie County Family Court Judge Mary G. Carney, “Michele’s knowledge, compassion, experience, and trial advocacy are unparalleled. Her generosity and commitment in mentoring attorneys new to the practice is remarkable. What she knows, she shares widely because she cares so deeply about quality representation of children. She is truly one of a kind.” Among other things she co-chaired the Bar Association of Erie County’s Practice and Procedure in Family Court Committee during the uniquely challenging years 2019-2022, has been an active and enthusiastic adjunct professor and guest lecturer at the SUNY Buffalo School of Law, lectured across the state on the representation of children, has served on the Bar Association’s Judiciary Committee. Paraphrasing historian Michael Grossberg, ‘family law is not about permanent resolutions but rather generational solutions to persistent problems’. The challenges and problems facing families will certainly go on. The WNY legal community will dearly miss Michele’s daily work as a leader, lawyer, philosopher, and policy advocate at the head of Children’s Legal Center, looks forward to the ongoing work of this important center for children and hopes retirement from this role will leave Michele time for some private legal work and a private life with more freedom to enjoy family and friends.
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