Biography
Ms. Slafter, Esq., LCSW is an Associate at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, practicing in all areas of family law, including marital dissolutions, property characterization and division, child and spousal support, high conflict custody disputes, domestic violence, and post-judgment enforcement and modification proceedings. She brings a unique perspective and skillset as both a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Family Law Attorney. Ms. Slafter has particular expertise in navigating the challenges of mental health, mental health systems, as well as the complexities inherent in family law. Her dual competencies aid in custody and visitation issues, parents helping children in the most challenging settings, and where interpersonal dynamics and family law cases are impacted by mental health and personality disorders.
Ms. Slafter obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Utah in 2008, where she served as the Community Service Coordinator at the Bennion Community Service Center. After graduating, she began her professional career working with children in mental health and foster care in Utah. She thereafter obtained her Master’s Degree in Social Work from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 2011, where she practiced as a family therapist for youth caught up in the juvenile justice system. After being exposed to complex legal barriers facing many of her clients, Ms. Slafter decided to enroll in law school to better advocate for families in need.
Ms. Slafter obtained her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law, where she graduated with Highest Honors and was the Managing Editor of the Golden Gate Law Review. While in law school, Ms. Slafter received numerous awards for her legal acumen, including the ALI CLE Scholarship & Leadership Award, the Faculty Merit Scholarship Award, the Public Interest Scholarship Award, the Honors Lawyering Program Award, and the Witkin Award.
After graduating law school third in her class, Ms. Slafter was awarded the prestigious and highly competitive Equal Justice Works Fellowship with East Bay Children's Law Offices (“EBCLO”) sponsored by Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton and Clorox, where she represented children in dependency and juvenile justice proceedings. During her five years there, Ms. Slafter was in court daily, zealously advocating on behalf of her clients at review hearings, trials, briefings, and settlement negotiations. She also served as a delinquency court liaison for foster youth facing criminal charges. Additionally, Ms. Slafter provided trainings across California to parents and providers on topics such as mental health law, boundaries, and trauma-informed practice.
Ms. Slafter ultimately transitioned her practice to family law, where she applies her unique background in litigation and mental health to her daily practice. Immediately prior to joining Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, Ms. Slafter was an associate at Wapnick Family Law.
Ms. Slafter has sat on the boards of a number of organizations, including the Mental Health Advisory Board of Alameda County, the Statewide Survivor’s Advisory Board of the California Action Team for Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, and the Aspire Education Project Board of Directors. She has also published a number of relevant pieces related to her work, including Supporting the Mental Health of Youth in Juvenile Court: Resource Guide and Bench Cards, Effective Representation of Children Who Have Been Sexually Exploited, and A New War on Drugs: Fighting State-Sponsored Overmedication of California’s Foster Youth.
Education
- Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, California
- J.D. - 2016
- Honors: Highest Honors
- Honors: Managing Editor of and Staff Writer for the Golden Gate Law Review
- Honors: Teacher’s Assistant, Contracts
- Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
- Masters of Social Work - 2011
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT
- Bachelors of Social Work - 2008
Bar Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
Honors
- Equal Justice Works Fellowship
- Highest Honors, 3rd in Class, Golden Gate University School of Law
- ALI CLE Scholarship & Leadership Award
- Faculty Merit Scholarship Award
- Public Interest Scholarship Award
- Honors Lawyering Program Award
- Witkin Award, Property
- Witkin Award, Business Associations
- Witkin Award, Legal Writing and Research
- Witkin Award, Ethics in Criminal Justice
- Witkin Award, Practical Legal Writing
- Witkin Award, Remedies
Pro-Bono Activities
- Mental Health Advisory Board, Alameda County, March 2020 – October 2022
- Survivor’s Advisory Board of the California Action Team for Commercially Sexually
- Exploited Children , Statewide, August 2018 – September 2020
- Aspire Education Project Board of Directors, Oakland, August 2015 – April 2020
Published Works
- Supporting the Mental Health of Youth in Juvenile Court: Resource Guide and Bench Cards (2019) available at https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/kkis-mentalhealth-juvcourt.pdf
- Effective Representation of Children Who Have Been Sexually Exploited, 12 Family & Intimate Partner Violence Quarterly 33-40 (Summer 2019)
- A New War on Drugs: Fighting State-Sponsored Overmedication of California’s Foster Youth.
Certified Legal Specialties
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker, 106434
Professional Associations
- California Bar Association
Past Positions
- Wapnick Family Law, Walnut Creek, California, Associate
- East Bay Children’s Law Offices (EBCLO), Oakland, California, Dependency Attorney and Social Worker
- Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Project Hype, Washington, D.C., Individual and Family Counselor
- University of Utah College of Social Work, Washington, D.C., Field Instructor