Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County Receives Prestigious Michael L. Cook Extraordinary Grant
Los Angeles, CA — Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) has been awarded the esteemed Michael L. Cook Extraordinary Grant in the amount of $20,000 by the Grants and Pro Bono Committee of the American College of Bankruptcy Foundation. The annual grant honors a legal services organization that demonstrates “an innovative and exemplary approach to a previously underserved area of need.”
Established in 2016 in honor of Michael L. Cook, the Extraordinary Grant supports transformative legal initiatives that expand access to justice for vulnerable communities. This year, the Foundation distributed $647,600 in pro bono grants nationwide.
“We are deeply honored by this recognition,” said Yvonne Mariajimenez, CEO of NLSLA. “The Foundation’s commitment to advancing public-interest legal services reinforces our shared mission to ensure equal justice for all. This generous grant will help us continue expanding critical services for individuals in desperate need of support while navigating the bankruptcy process.”
The awarded funds will bolster NLSLA’s Consumer Debt & Bankruptcy Program, which has experienced significant growth in recent years. NLSLA has long been a pioneer in bankruptcy self-help services: for more than 18 years, the organization has assisted self-represented litigants—including both debtors and creditors—through the Bankruptcy Self-Help Center (BASH) at the San Fernando Valley Courthouse and additional sites across Los Angeles County. Pro bono partnerships have remained essential to sustaining and expanding this work.
With this grant, NLSLA will continue strengthening its efforts to help low-income individuals stabilize their finances, protect their rights, and move toward economic security.
