Lawyers Pledges to Support Children's Rights

In an effort to positively impact the role of Japanese attorneys in protecting the rights of children, the Japan Children's Rights Network presents the following proposed pledges.  The content is currently at a draft level, and we are accepting comments.  We would especially appreciate comments from other attorneys on what is reasonable.

Please look at each of the following and send comments either to the mailing list or to webmaster (at] crnjapan [dot) com

Lawyer's Pledge for an Embassy Listing (PDF)

Many embassies in Japan have website or other lists of Japanese attorneys.  In exchange for this free advertising, we feel that attorneys or law firms should be expected to uphold the family law principles and policies of the foreign country.  As such, we believe it is reasonable to ask each attorney or law firm to sign a pledge to do so before being listed.  Should it subsequently become clear to embassy personnel that the attorney or law firm has violated this pledge, then should then be removed from this list. 

Lawyer's Pledge to Support Children's Rights in Japan (PDF)

It is clear to us that Japanese attorneys can play either a positive role in ensuring that a child have frequent, meaningful and continuing contact with both natural parents or a negative role by encouraging a client to use denial of such contact as a tool, and in extreme cases encouraging a parent to abduct first.  Attorneys in the later category can be listed in our Black List or Watch List.  But along with these negative incentives, we desire to provide positive ones as well.  Hence, we are creating a "Supporting List" of attorneys and law firms who will publicly pledge uphold a set of guidelines regarding contact between children and parents.  Additionally, we are considering requiring this pledge in order to be removed from the Black List or the Watch List.  Adhering to this pledge will benefit both non-Japanese and Japanese parents alike.  So we expect support from domestic child and parent rights groups also.