New York City Bar Honors LFC Policy Director Betsy Kramer

“I thank my clients for giving me the opportunity to represent them, for giving me the opportunity to give them a voice and the opportunity to learn and grow as a lawyer and a human being.” -Betsy Kramer

The New York City Bar awarded this year’s Kathryn A. McDonald Award for Excellence in Service to Family Court to Betsy Kramer. 

Betsy Kramer is the Director of Policy & Special Litigation at Lawyers For Children. This year marks Betsy’s 30th year representing children and leading efforts to advance justice for children and families in New York City and beyond. A graduate of Harvard University and NYU School of Law, prior to her work at Lawyers For Children, Betsy worked as a litigation attorney at White and Case and as a staff attorney at MFY Legal Services. Betsy has spearheaded Lawyers For Children’s Public Policy and Special Litigation Project since its inception in 2001. She has been a fierce leading voice, a highly skilled advocate, and a respected colleague on nearly every issue that touches children and families in the New York State child welfare system. 

Betsy’s numerous achievements include working with her legal and social work colleagues and organizational partners to achieve numerous settlements resulting in significant reforms of the child welfare system, including as counsel for a Lawyers For Children client in foster care who was discharged to homelessness at age 21--resulting in the first class action settlement in the country that prevents discharging youth to homelessness. She has been a tireless advocate for legislation impacting child welfare and youth justice reform, including successfully curtailing the shackling of youth in family court. 

Beyond these victories, Betsy has never lost focus on what matters most: the daily realities and needs of her clients. Over the last 30 years, Betsy has always kept an active individual caseload and has represented thousands of young people. At the heart of Betsy’s advocacy is a commitment to achieving both favorable policy changes and class action decisions, as well as the successful everyday outcomes for her clients in Family Court.

The Kathryn A. McDonald Award is named in honor of the former Presiding Judge of the New York City Family Court. The award was presented on Thursday, May 22nd by Chief Judge Rowan Wilson, Judge Ann-Marie Jolly, Administrative Judge of the New York City Family Court, and New York City Bar Association President Muhammad U. Faridi.