Legal Aid Association of California

10/09/2024

OneJustice and the Legal Aid Association of California are gathering input from pro bono partners to inform a report on the current state of pro bono work in California.

We’ve created a brief 10-minute survey to capture insights from law firms, corporations, law schools, bar associations, and individuals on the challenges and opportunities in pro bono service.

Please complete the survey by October 22, 2024. Thank you for your participation! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WP2PJ6P.

09/30/2024

We are excited to share that on Friday, September 27th Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2505 (Gabriel), a bill that will require practicing lawyers in California to report the number of pro bono hours that they have completed in the past year when paying their annual licensing fees to the State Bar of California.

By asking attorneys to track and report the hours they volunteer each year, this new law will help to bridge the “justice gap” of people looking for legal help who cannot afford private attorneys and who cannot access free legal services.

LAAC applauds Governor Newsom and the Legislature for prioritizing low-income Californians and advancing to close the justice gap by increasing the delivery of legal services on matters like debt relief, immigration matters, eviction defense, and family court.

For more information, read our press release:

Shared with Dropbox

09/25/2024

Our 2024 Legal Services Community Technology Survey Report is here!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/dkjk32wwgdwzxd1hxd6kx/2024-Legal-Services-Community-Technology-Survey.pdf?rlkey=xmo2jcicvheiuh9rmxcf3clu9&st=nzm7ylt7&dl=0

This year's report had over 30 responding organizations with budgets ranging from $700,000 to $40,000,000. This snapshot offers a glimpse into what organizations are using, and what’s working and what’s not.

Inside you'll find information on case management, timekeeping, file storage, phone system and other tech used by over 30 responding legal aid organizations, along with narrative information about their experience with the products.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated! Please contact Kasia at [email protected] and Zach at [email protected] with any thoughts or questions.

Shared with Dropbox

09/18/2024

The , , and Legal Aid Association of California hosted 17 state agencies, including Social Services, Civil Rights, and Aging, for a convening in SF to brainstorm ways for government agencies to collaborate with legal aid nonprofits. The goal: deliver more effective, equitable, and enhanced services to the public. Read full news release: https://bit.ly/3zvNvqD

09/17/2024

This month, LA Superior Court Chief Judge Samantha Jessner announced a General Order permitting electronic recording of proceedings when no court reporter is available, in response to the court reporter shortage crisis. We're excited to share a press release from member organization Family Violence Appellate Project, which clearly outlines the stakes of Judge Jessner's order: "This necessary step will staunch the flow of injustice for thousands of survivors of domestic violence, elder abuse, human trafficking, and other forms of abuse in Los Angeles County."

LAAC has been working collaboratively with the legal aid community for many years to ensure indigent litigants have access to a verbatim record of their proceedings. LAAC co-sponsored SB 662 with Family Violence Appellate Project, which proposed a solution similar to the action taken by LA Superior Court. We applaud the Court for making big steps in the right direction.

09/11/2024

Please join Family Violence Appellate Project's Taylor Campion and Arati Vasan on Wednesday, September 25th from 12-1 to learn how to create a trial court record that can set you up for success in appealing an unfavorable trial court ruling or protecting a favorable one. This training will focus on creating trial court records in unlawful detainers and domestic violence family law cases and the unique considerations needed for each. This training is for attorneys with varying levels of experience that want to increase their litigation skills to obtain better outcomes for their clients.

MCLE: 1-hour General

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ruhCa18dS2yBfSrlSOB92w #/registration

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LAAC is an approved multi-activity MCLE provider (Provider #2303).

For any accommodation requests, please email Yoselyne Cerros at [email protected].

09/11/2024

This month, the Legal Aid Association of California is hosting our Strengthen the Justice System Summer 2024 Fundraiser!

The work of legal aid organizations is critical for assisting low-income Californians to maintain access to housing, healthcare, employment, food, and other needed benefits, while advocating for racial justice and equitable access to the legal system. LAAC plays a crucial role in funding, coordinating, and fighting for this work throughout the state, including creating critical DEI programming and funding law student summer work in legal aid through our Dan Bradley Fellowships.

We are aiming to raise $7500 by the end of September to continue doing this work. Your support will make a huge impact. Every little bit helps!

Donate here today: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjEzNzY1

09/10/2024

Introduction to Justice in Aging
October 3rd
12:00 PM
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9517224474643/WN_Os3PPMGuRReDZfFHmtY1-A #/registration

Join us for this webinar next month to learn about and the services they offer!

Justice in Aging is a national organization that uses the power of law to fight senior poverty by securing access to affordable health care, economic security, and the courts for older adults with limited resources. We train and provide free resources to thousands of professional advocates and legal aid attorneys per year across the country in order to help them better serve older adults' needs. From these on-the-ground partners we hear about specific issues older adults are facing in trying to meet their needs and then we advocate at the local, state, and federal level to fix those issues.

Justice in Aging partners closely with California state leaders and other advocates to enact policy changes that make California a better place to age and shares strategies with states nationwide to identify opportunities and implement similar changes in their own states.

Presenter: Lauren Carden, Justice in Aging
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No MCLE will be provided for this webinar.

For any accommodation requests, please email Yoselyne Cerros at [email protected].

09/05/2024

Breaking access to justice news: the Superior Court of Los Angeles County issues a general order allowing electronic recording in specified circumstances to respond to the court reporter shortage. Read the press release here!

09/05/2024

Housing & Homelessness Prevention for Transition Aged Youth
September 26th, 2024
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6317224473826/WN_pXFQ_JNtTA2usxwHHN0hQA #/registration

Homelessness and housing/placement in/stability for current and former foster youth are critical issues facing transition-aged youth (TAY) (ages 16-25) in California. Despite broad protections and housing/placement entitlements for youth, many youth are exited or removed from their housing before they reach the maximum age or duration for participation. Please join the Youth Law Center to learn more about housing topics specific to systems-involved TAY, housing preservation strategies available to advocates, best practices for working with TAY, how to screen for current and former systems-involvement, and other entitlements and supports for TAY.

MCLE: 1.5-hour General

Presenters: Marisa Lopez-Scott, Senior Attorney, Youth Law Center
Chris Middleton, Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow Sponsored by Baker McKenzie & Salesforce, Inc., Youth Law Center
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LAAC is an approved multi-activity MCLE provider (Provider #2303).

For any accommodation requests, please email Yoselyne Cerros at [email protected].

09/03/2024

Nominations for our annual Awards of Merit are due by midnight, Monday, September 16, 2024. This is your chance to recognize people who have made outstanding contributions to the legal aid community. Awards will be presented in a special ceremony at this year's Pathways to Justice conference.

Fill out this form to submit a nomination! https://bit.ly/LAACAoM

We are accepting nominations in the following categories:
◆ Legal Services Attorney
◆ Non-Attorney staff (Paralegal, Community Worker, other Support Staff)
Individual Volunteer or Board Member for a legal services program
◆ Client of a legal services program engaged in advocacy or assistance to the program
◆ Pro Bono Attorney or Firm
◆ Staff of a trial or appellate level court program (excluding bench officers)

If you have any questions, please contact Katy at [email protected].

09/03/2024

Race, Class, and the Foster Care System
Thursday, September 19th
12:00 PM
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/3517224473238/WN_z6A90Ej8TWS579BV4vc9gA #/registration

This one-hour training will examine structural racism in the child welfare system, especially focused on standardized risk-assessment tools and policing, with suggestions on how attorneys can support families.

MCLE: 1-hour Elimination of Bias
Presenter: Meredith Wallis, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children
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LAAC is an approved multi-activity MCLE provider (Provider #2303).

For any accommodation requests, please email Yoselyne Cerros at [email protected].