Shereen A. White
Director of Advocacy & Policy, Children's Rights
Fox Rothschild, 2009 – 2011
- J.D., Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, 2009
- B.A., Duke University, 2006
As an attorney and advocate at Children’s Rights, what trends do you see in child welfare and juvenile justice?
Race equity issues have taken on greater prominence in the conversation around child welfare. These are not new problems – Black and brown children have long been overrepresented in the child welfare system – but the national protests against systemic racial oppression in 2020 have put another spotlight on them. There is even a movement to abolish the child welfare system as we know it today and reimagine how to support families who need resources.
The majority of kids removed from their homes are taken not because of physical abuse or sexual abuse but because of neglect typically related to poverty. In place of a system that threatens to remove children from families, we need to empower communities and families to make sure they have the services they need.
What kinds of projects or cases are you working on now?
I am currently doing discovery for an active litigation, including finding experts for the case. I also do a lot of our race equity work. For example, I’m drafting a call-to-action white paper on institutional racism at the front end of the child welfare system. After we publish it, I’ll host a panel discussion, so I am looking for panelists and figuring out how to structure that. I am also involved in a current investigation of a particular jurisdiction as we explore a potential new lawsuit.
We have a paralegal program for young people who recently graduated from college who are thinking about a career in law, policy or nonprofit. I manage six paralegals and oversee their caseloads. I enjoy mentoring them as well.
What nugget of professional advice would you give to a recent law school graduate or new associate?
Remain open-minded. You may have a firm idea of what you want your career to look like. However, recognize that there are many different paths to get there. Don’t turn down opportunities that can help set you up for what you want to do in the future.
When I was in law school, I was not planning to work for a large law firm, but the opportunity arose to take a summer associate position at Fox, and it was the right move. Working at Fox that summer and then later as a junior associate helped me to become a better writer. I practiced family law, and there were many opportunities to write and pass drafts back and forth. It can be torture to see all of those red lines, but it does grow you and help you strengthen those skills.
When I knew I was ready to move into the nonprofit world, there were people at Fox who were instrumental in connecting me with the right people to set up interviews. That assistance was amazing.
Where would we find you on a Saturday morning?
I have two young boys and I love to cook. On a Saturday morning, you’ll find me making homemade banana pancakes, Challah French toast or some kind of frittata – the kind of big breakfast we don’t typically have time for during the week. We recently moved to New Hope, Pennsylvania, so we spend time out and about exploring the main street, finding walking paths and feeding ducks on the river.
