LaKayla Witherspoon

LaKayla Witherspoon works for TeamChild in Seattle, Washington. TeamChild provides civil legal advocacy for young people involved in the juvenile justice system. LaKayla represents young people in a wide variety of cases—from school discipline to special education to accessing supportive housing and other services. The advocacy she provides helps them access the supports they need to achieve positive outcomes in their lives and avoid further involvement in juvenile court. 

LaKayla did not go to law school expecting to become a child advocate. She thought she would pursue a career in sports law. But she ultimately found that combining her passion for mentoring with her law degree gave her a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people. No matter what kind of legal case she is working on, she knows building a trusting, professional relationship with her client is critically important.

LaKayla had a personal experience that also helped fuel her particular interest in educational advocacy. She knew she was interested in being a lawyer from a young age, but a guidance counselor tried to discourage her from pursuing that dream. Now, at TeamChild, she believes part of her role is to be a “cheerleader” for the young people she represents—always encouraging them to believe success is possible, even when there are plenty of obstacles in the way. 

LaKayla has learned that representing young people requires “going deeper”—there is always a lot going on “under the surface” when a client is involved in the juvenile justice system, and helping young people address those issues is not easy. Trauma, racism, and inadequate systems of care for children combine to create major challenges.

But she also sees the difference that investing in young people makes. She recently advocated for a teenager to get needed services in the child welfare system despite him facing a potentially lengthy period of incarceration. Although the young person had no place to live or family support, the agency did not want to help. Their view of the young man was colored by the seriousness of the charges he was facing, rather than his unmet needs. LaKayla’s advocacy forced the agency to fulfill its obligation to help, and in doing so, ensured his basic needs were met and helped address the underlying reasons for his court involvement. Helping her clients overcome these kinds of challenges is what LaKayla loves about her job. 

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