Alum Spotlight: Marsha Levick, Esq. '68
As a nationally recognized expert in juvenile law, Marsha Levick, Esq. ’68 has dedicated her career to protecting children’s rights within the legal system. |
Through her work as co-founder and Chief Legal Officer of the Juvenile Law Center—which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year—her work has shaped policies on juvenile sentencing, the rights of incarcerated youth, and the treatment of children in both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. |
Since co-founding the Juvenile Law Center in 1975, Marsha has led groundbreaking legal battles, including the "Kids for Cash" scandal in Pennsylvania that exposed judicial corruption and led to significant legal reforms. She has also played a key role in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court that helped abolish extreme sentencing for juveniles, including the death penalty and life without parole for minors. "These cases stand for a principle that is both a social science and a constitutional law principle: that children are different from adults," she explained. "When we consider their rights and statutes under our laws and Constitution, we have to treat them differently—and treat them better."
Despite decades of progress, Marsha acknowledges that many of the challenges she faced early in her career persist today. "It is dismaying that the culture of punishment in this country remains so pronounced," she said. "Although we talk about rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system, we remain locked into an incarceration model that is more focused on punishment than rehabilitation."
In the face of these ongoing challenges, the Juvenile Law Center remains committed to advocating for children's rights and well-being, ensuring that young people have the support and resources necessary to thrive. “We have consistently stood for and with children, working to advance not just their legal rights, but also their well-being, so they have the ability to successfully transition from adolescence to adulthood without abuse, without harm, and with the resources they need.”
Marsha’s path to a career in law and advocacy was deeply influenced by her time at Friends Select School during a period of intense political and social change. "Being in high school in the 1960s was an incredibly tumultuous time, both because of the Civil Rights Movement and opposition to the Vietnam War. Those experiences motivated me," she said. "I was inspired by the civil rights lawyers who came before me, and I saw young people involved in the justice system as a group that really didn’t have a voice."
Marsha credits the school’s values with shaping her lifelong commitment to justice and hopes the school inspires current upper school students in the same way. "Friends Select fosters an environment and set of beliefs that are very much about giving back to the community,” she said. "Our country has a long history of democracy and political engagement, but we have had to work hard to earn our place as a champion of civil rights. As we face today's new challenges, I hope that young people will hold onto the ideals of equality and justice for all in America, and understand that their participation and commitment to pursuing these ideals matter."
As we look forward to Alumni Weekend (May 2-4), we are proud to highlight Friends Select alumni making a difference in their communities and the world.
