Dr. Charlene Evans-Smith

Dr. Charlene’s path to law began in the classroom as an early childhood educator, where she saw that even the best educational supports fall short when children lack stability and protection at home.

Research Publications

Education

2022 - 2025 Juris Doctor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
2016 - 2021 Doctor Education Policy & Administration, George Washington University
2014 - 2016 M.Ed., Special Education, Towson University
2006 - 2010 B.A., Early Childhood Education, Towson University

Licensed to Practice

Awards

Her work showed her how deeply legal challenges, including family instability, housing insecurity, and interactions with the justice system, affected children’s ability to succeed in school.

Wanting to better support families navigating these challenges, she made the decision to pursue a law degree.

She earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and went on to train with Lawyers for Children in New York, a nonprofit known for pairing attorneys with social workers to provide holistic advocacy.

Charlene brings a rare and powerful combination of deep knowledge in child development, research, education systems, and the law She believes that legal issues cannot be separated from a person’s home life, emotional well-being, or lived experience and that truly effective advocacy must treat clients as whole people.

Clients often come to her during moments of instability and uncertainty. She meets them with empathy, clarity, and a commitment to minimizing trauma while helping them move forward. Her goal is not only to resolve legal issues, but to help families regain stability and create conditions where children and families can truly thrive.