Laura Underwood ( She/Her/Hers )

Laura Underwood joined the Office of the County Counsel in May 2017.  She is a member of the Office’s Child and Family Protection Team and the Human Services Team.  Laura advises the County’s Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) in a variety of ways, including advising DFCS social workers on specific juvenile dependency matters, representing DFCS and social workers in juvenile court, drafting appellate motions and briefs related to juvenile dependency appeals, reviewing and advising on contracts related to DFCS services, advising DFCS’s custodian of records regarding confidentiality issues and release of child welfare case information, and providing trainings to DFCS staff on a variety of legal topics. Laura’s professional expertise includes juvenile dependency law, juvenile dependency trials, mediations, and hearings, and juvenile dependency appeals and writs. 

Office practice areas

• Child and Family Protection Team 
• Human Services Team 

​​Education

• Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 2007 
• University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A., Major and College Honors, 2001 

Prior experience

• Staff Attorney at Office of Dependency Counsel, San Jose (2011-2017)