What is the difference in a lawyers role for a child and a GALs?
A lawyer for a child, after counseling and consulting with the child, advocates for what the child wants just like a lawyer for an adult. A lawyer’s relationship with his or her child client is confidential and protected by the attorney-client privilege, while a GALs conversations with a child are not protected by this privilege. A GAL conducts an investigation into a child’s situation and advocates for what is in the child’s best interests based on the investigation. A GAL’s position may or may not be the child’s position or what the child wants. Especially for teenagers, GAL’s place a great deal of importance on a child’s wishes.
