Five years of growth and impact

In 2018, Adult Representation Services (ARS) was created to help Hennepin County residents who needed legal representation in civil cases but could not afford an attorney.

Over the last five years, the department has expanded to help residents with:

Child protection and child support contempt
Housing and eviction court
Guardianship and conservatorship
Immigration
Civil commitment
Support services before, during, and after court cases
Assistance and mentorship to help clients achieve stability and avoid court involvement

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the staff, Adult Representation Services has been able to assist in 3,435 cases so far in 2023 – more than three times the number of cases they had their first year.

“We have assisted and advocated for thousands of clients over the course of our five years. The fact that we are successful in obtaining really great outcomes for our clients can't be understated though. We have helped so many residents stay in homes, reunify with their children, and terminate longstanding guardianships.” – Principal Attorney Rachelle Loewenson Stratton

Do you need legal representation or support? Contact us at 612-348-7012 or contactars@hennepin.us.

Our timeline

Beginnings

Adult Representation Services started in 2018 with an initial focus on child protection cases. The team was made up of Jeanette Boerner and Rachelle Loewenson Stratton, both career public defenders.

Representation for parents in child protection cases previously fell to the Public Defender’s Office but was removed due to statute changes. The changes caused a gap in the system, leaving some people without an attorney. Boerner, now the Director of Adult Representation Services, saw an opportunity for the county to step in.

“Working on those kinds of cases and watching unstable representation develop inspired me to think we could do better in Hennepin County by mirroring what we were doing in the public defense system by having dedicated, trained lawyers do the work,” said Boerner.

Boerner and Stratton began taking on child protection and child support contempt cases, partnering with contract attorneys to handle 1,005 cases the first year. The next year, they presented their work and vision to the county board, securing the support and resources they would need to grow.

Today, ARS has seven practice areas and 76 full-time employees.

Growth

When pandemic-related eviction moratoriums began to expire in 2021, clients already involved in child protection and child support cases were now also facing eviction, Principal Attorney Terrance Hendricks recalls. At the same time, Hennepin County was bracing for a massive increase in housing court case filings and people in need of homes. County leaders looked to ARS for help.

“Once the eviction moratorium was lifted, we put together a housing team like that,” said Loan Mai, Administrative Assistant. “Our heads were spinning, but we did the work, and we served the clients, and we assisted in the ways we could.”

Everyone expected evictions and legal needs to taper, but the opposite has happened. “The need has actually increased,” Hendricks said. “In fact, the numbers are much higher than they were pre-COVID.”

As a result, the housing court team is the agency’s largest. The team handled about 300 housing/eviction cases in 2021, nearly 2,500 in 2022, and are on track to handle about 4,000 in 2023.

Alongside growth in that area, ARS has expanded representation and services to include guardianship, civil commitments, immigration, prevention, and social services navigation support. Overall, the agency’s caseload increased 350% from 2018 to 2022.

one thousand and five cases in two thousand eighteen and six thousand eight hundred fifty six cases in twenty twenty three

“I knew we would likely grow but never imagined we would expand so quickly and have the privilege of serving residents in so many areas of the law,” said Principal Attorney Rachelle Loewenson Stratton. “I am grateful Hennepin County sees the value and importance of protecting its residents by providing legal defense in so many areas.”

Clients and impact

The work ARS does has a huge impact on clients’ lives.

“They have the government on the other side of the equation or someone with more power,” ARS Director Jeanette Boerner said. “So, we equalize that and are able make that playing field level.”

"Outcomes in civil cases are worse for people without legal representation because there is an inherent disadvantage," Principal Attorney Terrance Hendricks said.

“When there is an imbalance of power, the system doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to,” Hendricks said. “With our attorneys involved, regardless of the outcome of the case, the client leaves that situation knowing that every possible legal avenue was pursued and we fought the good fight for them.”

"Defining success by wins or losses doesn’t tell the full story because positive outcomes for clients are subjective," Principal Attorney Rachelle Loewenson Stratton said.

But sometimes there is an objectively happy ending.

“Seeing the families be reunited – that’s the best feeling in the world,” said Loan Mai, administrative assistant, about successful child protection cases. “The moment that you see a family reunited…there’s no words to describe it.”

The staff recognize the importance and impact of their work and often gather to honor their colleagues and the lives they touch.

“I remember a recent event organized by one of our staff to celebrate the Native community and success at the United States Supreme Court,” said Stratton. “It highlighted for me how important our work is and how significant and wide-reaching the impact can be.”

man receiving an award from a commissioner

In August 2023, the housing court team received an award from the National Association of Counties for their rapid response to the eviction moratorium and continuing work in supporting residents.

Why we do this work

ARS staff know their work helps people maintain stability and fundamental rights, and they are passionate about the work they do.

In the last five years, they have helped clients stay in their homes, dissolve guardianships, reunite with their children, connect with medical and social services, and so much more. With everything they do, they work towards increasing equity and stability for their clients. Read more about client success stories.

“Every single person in this department is here according to their values and to serve the clients.” – Loan Mai, Administrative Assistant

“I really believe in our mission. It keeps me excited about coming to work every day, to see how engaged people are, to see how well we are representing our clients.” – Terrance Hendricks, Principal Attorney

“Most exciting for me is hearing the daily stories from our legal team when they return from court. The daily impact we have on the lives of our clients has always been the most meaningful for me.” – Rachelle Loewenson Stratton, Principal Attorney

“The most rewarding part for me is knowing there are so many folks who have been historically underserved in the community…that we are able to reach and connect to every day in a meaningful way.” – Jeanette Boerner, Director

Looking forward

ARS staff continuously assess what their clients need and what is working well. A main focus for the future is prevention work: helping clients avoid returning to court or going to court in the first place.

In early 2023, the agency launched its first prevention program. With the support of a federal grant, ARS created the Health Equity Legal Project (HELP) for new or expecting parents experiencing difficulties that could put them at risk for child protection involvement, such as mental health and substance use issues.

Director Jeanette Boerner said it helps clients take a “U-turn away from the system” by connecting them with resources before they end up in the court system. The program emphasizes collaboration between parents, legal counsel, mentors, healthcare providers, and the community. “It creates an environment where people can say…’I need help,’” she said.