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Whilst there is broad consensus that foster youth embroiled in dependency court proceedings related to child maltreatment are entitled to effective representation, few studies have examined this phenomenon. This study used Group Concept Mapping (GCM) with a sample of 31 foster youth and alumni to explicate a conceptual framework for effective legal representation. GCM is an integrated, mixed-method research approach that utilizes non-metric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analyses to analyze qualitative data. As a result, pictorial illustration of the data are generated. Results indicate that youth conceptualized effective legal representation via six unique clusters: Legal Skills, Foster Care Knowledge, Youth/Attorney Relationship, Attitude About Foster Care, Contact, and Communication. Additionally, participants viewed the Communication cluster as most important and feasible, when …