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Fraud Victim Gains Financial Stability with Help from NLSLA Volunteer
/in Client StoriesRob Spawn is not your typical volunteer. An expert witness with a long career in wealth management, Spawn had never been asked to help in a legal aid case before. […]
NLSLA Advocate Fights for Homeless Family, Securing Benefits and Housing
/in Client StoriesWhen Ramona* reached out to NLSLA, she had just left an abusive marriage and was working as a home health aid to support her two children. Then the virus arrived, […]
NLSLA Protects Client from Corrupt Landlord
/in Client StoriesIn the midst of a years-long housing crisis, guest units – also known as “granny flats” – have offered low-income tenants an affordable housing option. Many tenants who rent out […]
Pandemic snafu: State mistakenly drops Medi-Cal coverage for some low-income Californians
/in NewsCAL MATTERS — An error involving the state’s automated system for Medi-Cal renewals triggered at least some of the drops in coverage, despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orders that recipients remain on the rolls during the coronavirus crisis.
Andrea Tozer, NLSLA Board Member & Pro Bono Volunteer of the Year
/in NewsBefore Andrea Tozer joined NLSLA’s Board of Directors, she took on several pro bono cases for the organization, representing immigrants who were the victims of violence. One of those cases […]
Helping the Newly Unemployed Weather the Storm
/in NewsSince efforts to contain the pandemic effectively shut down the California economy in late March, more than 1.3 million Los Angeles County residents have become unemployed. Among them is Henry, […]
We’re Counting On You
/in NewsThe impact of the novel coronavirus on the communities we serve is just beginning to surface, and we know that, for people living in poverty, the worst is yet to […]
El Monte nonprofit offers free unemployment assistance in Chinese
/in PressNeighborhood Legal Services is reaching out to Chinese communities in need of unemployment help during the coronavirus pandemic.
Black Lives Matter
/in NewsDear Friends: We are, at this moment, a nation in anguish. The pain and anger bringing people to the street in demonstrations across the country was sparked by police brutality, […]
Advocates Hail End of Controversial Los Angeles County PACE Program
/in NewsHomeowner and consumer advocates call on local entities statewide to follow the County’s lead and protect vulnerable homeowners from predatory financing scheme LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – May 19, 2020 – Bet […]
Doug Smith Joins NLSLA Board
/in NewsDoug Smith, a litigator with Mayer Brown, joined NLSLA’s Board of Directors this month, after decades of pro bono contributions that have earned him numerous prestigious awards. Smith has always […]
“How Can The Landlord Ask Me for This When There Is a Worldwide Pandemic?”
/in NewsAs an after-school care teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District, Mary* was never able to save money for a rainy day. So when the virus hit and her […]
As More People Fall Into Poverty, Legal Aid Is a Lifeline
/in NewsIn 1994, immediately after the Northridge Earthquake, NLSLA advocates reached out to residents to see what kind of legal advocacy they might need. By the time hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, […]
Remembering Caron Smith
/in NewsCaron Smith, a longtime NLSLA advocate and a fixture in the San Fernando Valley legal services community, passed away Monday after experiencing complications from a previous surgical procedure. She was […]
Our COVID-19 Mission
/in NewsDear Friends: These last few days have brought into focus the magnitude of the threat we are facing. Our city, state, and federal governments have taken drastic steps to try […]
NLSLA Welcomes Two New Board Members
/in NewsAt the end of 2019 NLSLA welcome two dynamic board members to the NLSLA family. We are grateful for their commitment and dedication. Nicolas Orihuela Partner Hurwitz, Orihuela & Hayes, […]
NLSLA Advocates Work to Ensure Tenants Benefit from New Protections
/in NewsOn January 1, 2020, new protections for all California renters went into effect. AB 1482, known as the Tenant Protection Act, gives California renters, including everyone in Los Angeles County, […]
NLSLA’s Self-Help Network Reaches More Litigants Than Ever Before
/in NewsAccess to the justice system through self-representation is a fundamental right in our democracy. Yet navigating court processes is often confusing and daunting for litigants who are living in poverty, […]
A Letter from the President and CEO
/in NewsI’m delighted to share our first newsletter of 2020 with you, our friends and supporters. Our work would not be possible without your financial support and partnership, and I am […]
Representative Adam Schiff Honors Former NLSLA Executive Director Neal Dudovitz
/in NewsRetired NLSLA Executive Director Neal Dudovitz was honored in the Congressional Record by U.S. Representative Adam B. Schiff, who commended Dudovitz for his years of service and called him “a […]
NLSLA Lawsuit Challenging U-Visa Delays Moves Forward, Despite Government Effort to Dismiss
/in NewsAn NLSLA lawsuit seeking to enforce the rights of U-visa petitioners and demanding that immigration authorities make good on Congress’ promise to keep them safe will move forward, despite the […]
NLSLA Expands Public Charge Advocacy to Reach Immigrants in Myriad Communities
/in NewsIn the aftermath of changes to federal law that redefine who is considered a “public charge”—or taxpayer burden—in the eyes of immigration officials, NLSLA has significantly increased its efforts to […]
NLSLA and Partners Recognized With 2019 Impact Award from National Center for Medical Legal Partnerships
/in NewsThe National Center for Medical Legal Partnerships awarded the Whole Person Care LA Medical-Legal Community Partnership – a collaborative of legal services groups led by NLSLA, in partnership with the […]
Volunteer Profile – Paul Loh, President NLSLA Board of Directors
/in NewsPaul Loh didn’t spend much time thinking about public interest law when he was making his way through law school. Loh, who now serves as NLSLA’s board president, grew up […]
Locked out of L.A.’s white neighborhoods, they built a black suburb. Now they’re homeless
/in PressDuane Pierfax grew up after World War II in Pacoima, one of the few Los Angeles suburbs that offered the American dream of home ownership to African Americans who had been locked […]
NLSLA Health Work Highlighted at ABA Annual Meeting
/in NewsEarlier this month, NLSLA’s Deputy Director Yvonne Mariajimenez, who will take the helm as executive director in September, was invited to speak at the American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting in […]
NLSLA Celebrates New Office Serving San Gabriel Valley
/in NewsNLSLA celebrated the opening of its new San Gabriel office in El Monte, with a special ribbon cutting ceremony that included elected officials, community leaders, board members and staff. The […]
John B. Major, of Munger, Tolles & Olson, Joins NLSLA Board
/in NewsJohn B. Major, a litigator in the Los Angeles office of Munger, Tolles & Olson, has joined NLSLA’s Board of Directors. “I wanted to serve on a board that was […]
Neal Dudovitz Honored by County Board of Supervisors
/in NewsOutgoing Executive Director, Neal Dudovitz was honored for his decades of service to low-income communities at the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting of July 30. “For more than 40 […]
NLSLA Responds to Community Fear About Proposed Immigration Law Changes
/in NewsFor months now, NLSLA advocates have been hearing from immigrants fearful of proposed changes to federal law, which could redefine who is considered a “public charge”—or taxpayer burden—in the eyes […]