Quick Facts

Service Areas
Orange County and Southeast Los Angeles County, California

Main Telephone Number: (714) 571-5200
Four Offices Legal Aid Society of Orange County operates out of the Santa Ana and Anaheim, California offices. To find the office near you, click here.

Community Legal Services in Southeast Los Angeles has offices in Compton and in Norwalk. To find the office near you, click here.

Income Guidelines
Clients are required to have incomes that fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty threshold, depending on their other financial obligations.

Other funding agencies have similar income guidelines or do not require a means test (such as LASOC's Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program, which serves Orange County residents over the age of 60).

Other Guidelines
The eligibility criteria of LASOC and CLS funding agencies can also include restrictions on types of cases that can be handled and the legal status of clients. Individuals who are not clients and who are only provided legal information by LASOC and CLS are not required to meet financial eligibility tests or other qualifications.

Overview of Services
Advocacy
Legal Counseling
Innovative Self-Help Services (Clinics/Workshops; Online Court Forms)
In-depth Legal Representation
Economic Development
Community Education

Practice Areas (LASOC and CLS)
Family Law
Housing
Consumer Issues
Government Benefits
Bankruptcy Law


Special Programs in Orange County (LASOC)
Asian-American Outreach Program
Health Consumer Action Center (HCAC)
Homeless Legal Outreach Project
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Medical-Legal Partnership (with University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Family Health Center, Santa Ana)
Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program
The Orange County Small Claims Advisor Program
Special Programs in Southeast Los Angeles County (CLS)
The Domestic Violence Prevention Program
The Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Center (DVLAC)
The Compton Self-Help Legal Assistance Center (CSHLAC)
JusticeCorps
Norwalk Social Services Center Outreach Program
For more details, click here.

Legal Resolutions Center
For those who do not qualify for legal aid and/or small claims litigants or to get a referral to an attorney, click here.

I-CAN!™ E-File
To file your tax returns for free and see if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, click here.

Make a Difference - Support LASOC/CLS
Help ensure access to justice for all by making a donation, volunteering or become a corporate or community partner. Call Jennifer Miramontes at (714) 571-5220.

History

Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has been bridging the justice gap for nearly 50 years. LASOC was founded by a group of local attorneys (with volunteer assistance from a group that was then known as Lawyers Wives) in 1958 to respond to the needs of the County's poor and elderly. LASOC serves low income individuals and seniors who reside in all the cities and unincorporated areas in Orange County. LASOC has an office in the City of Santa Ana and one in the City of Anaheim.

In 1984, LASOC successfully bid for a competitive grant which led to the expansion of its service area to include 18 cities in southeast Los Angeles County, where it is known as Community Legal Services (CLS). The service areas of CLS include 18 cities in southeast Los Angeles County. CLS has an office in the City of Compton and one in the City of Norwalk.

Who We Help

Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Community Legal Services in Southeast Los Angeles County provide free legal and tax-related services to eligible individuals who reside in LASOC and CLS service areas. Specific service criteria vary by subject matter and change over time, so please contact LASOC with specific questions.

Income Guidelines

LASOC and CLS serve clients who meet the financial eligibility criteria of the Legal Services Corporation, the State Bar of California Legal Services Trust Fund Program, and other agencies that provide funding to our special programs. Clients are required to have incomes that fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty threshold, depending on their other financial obligations. Other funding agencies have similar income guidelines or do not require a means test (such as LASOC's Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program, which serves Orange County residents over the age of 60).

Other Guidelines

The eligibility criteria of LASOC and CLS funding agencies can also include restrictions on types of cases that can be handled and the legal status of clients. Individuals who are not clients and who are only provided legal information by LASOC and CLS are not required to meet financial eligibility tests or other qualifications.

Cities Served

Legal Aid Society of Orange County serves all the cities and unincorporated areas in Orange County. It service area includes: Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Midway City, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Westminster and Yorba Linda. In Orange County, its offices are located in the City of Santa Ana and in the City of Anaheim.

Community Legal Services serves 19 cities in southeast Los Angeles County. The Compton CLS office serves the cities of: Carson, Compton, Cudahy, Hollydale, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate, Walnut Park and Willowbrook. The Norwalk CLS office serves Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Norwalk, and Paramount.

Community Impact

The following are highlights of LASOC's accomplishments since its establishment in 1958:

• It is estimated that since its establishment, LASOC has closed at least 400,000 civil cases on behalf of individuals in Orange County and Southeast Los Angeles County.
• Throughout its history, LASOC has been a statewide and national leader in expanding access to justice, playing a significant role to bring IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) to California in 1982 and promoting its use and replication throughout the nation.
• LASOC created I-CAN!, the Interactive Community Assistance Network, to use the power of technology to enable self-represented litigants to create pleadings that are necessary to access the court and obtain needed court orders.
• I-CAN! has been used throughout California and has been incorporated for use in courts in Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Virginia. Already more than 63,000 self-represented litigants have created pleadings through the use of I-CAN!
• In 2004, I-CAN! received the Justice Achievement Award from the National Association for Court Management (NACM) in recognition of the excellent service that it provides.
• I-CAN! E-File, another major technological innovation of LASOC, enables low income workers to create and e-file their taxes, and to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit, which this year can return more than $4716 to a qualified taxpayer. For the latest updates, go to www.icanefile.org.
• In 2004, LASOC created its Legal Resolutions Center (LRC) to enable the general public and self-represented litigants to benefit from technology and obtain cost-effective legal assistance from the private bar.
• LRC received the American Bar Association 2006 Louis M. Brown Award for excellence in bridging LASOC's technological with the expertise of the private bar.

Milestones

1958: A group of Orange County attorneys and an organization then known as Lawyers Wives establish Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) to serve the legal needs of low income individuals and the elderly.

1958: LASOC opens its first office. It is located in the City of Santa Ana.

1958: In June, LASOC hires Patricia Herzog, its first attorney. Her part time salary is $250 a month.

1968: The Office of Economic Opportunity awards LASOC $76,000.

1975: Legal Services Corporation (formerly OEO) becomes a funder of LASOC.

1976: LASOC establishes the Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program (SCLAP), the first specialized unit within the organization, through a grant from the Orange County Office on Aging. SLCAP serves seniors in the County of Orange. SCLAP presently assists approximately 2,400 seniors annually.

1979: Legal Services Corporation awards LASOC a grant specifically for impact litigation to increase the availability of low-income housing.

1981: LASOC establishes a pro bono attorney program, called Amicus Publico, the predecessor of Public Law Center.

1982: LASOC and its Executive Director, Robert J. Cohen, play significant roles in the passage of SB 713 which created the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA), a major source of funding for The State Bar of California Legal Services Trust Fund Program.

1984: LASOC successfully competes for a grant that expanded its service area to southeast Los Angeles, where it is known as Community Legal Services (CLS).

1984: CLS opens the Compton office in February.

1984: CLS opens the Norwalk office in August.

1988: CLS Norwalk establishes the Domestic Violence Prevention Program. DVPP assists victims with the preparation of restraining order documents, including applications for orders, declarations, temporary restraining orders, and related documents. Program staff also advises clients on court and law enforcement procedures and schedule office appointment for clients needing additional legal services.

Before the DVPP came to existence, many victims of domestic violence submitted incomplete restraining order applications, which prevented judges from taking immediate action on crucial requests. Thus, technical and procedural errors left victims and their children vulnerable to their abusers. The DVPP has effectively reduced the problems and errors in paperwork so much so that judges of the Norwalk Superior Court now refer all persons seeking restraining orders to the service. Since the DVPP's implementation, thousands of battered women and their family members have secured the protection they desperately needed through assistance received by the DVPP's staff.

1992: The 1992 Los Angeles Riots destroy a California Department of Corrections facility which was located above the CLS Compton office, thereby inadvertently destroying the CLS Compton office. CLS Compton operates out of the CLS Norwalk Office and out of the Los Angeles Superior Court South Central District - Compton Courthouse.

1994: After two (2) years of being displaced, CLS Compton moves to its current facility which is named the Thurgood Marshall Justice Center.

1995: CLS establishes the Domestic Violence Prevention Program in Compton.

1995: On behalf of homeless persons, LASOC files suit in state court against the a local municipality, facially challenging the constitutionality of a city ordinance prohibiting (1) the use of camp paraphernalia including cots, sleeping bags, or non-designated cooking facilities; (2) pitching, occupying, or using camp facilities including tents, huts, or temporary shelters; (3) storing personal property on any public land within the city; or (4) living temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors in public within said city. The California Court of Appeals overturns the ruling of the lower court in which the lower court upheld the ordinances with the exception of the provision prohibiting living temporarily in a camp facility or outdoors. The Court of Appeal holds that the anti-camping ordinance violates Appellants right to travel, which includes the right to live or stay where one will, and, by punishing them for their status as homeless people, violates their right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. The court also holds that the ordinance was unconstitutionally vague and overbroad. In 1995, the California Supreme Court reverses the judgment of the Court of Appeals. The court holds that the challenged ordinance, which may have an incidental impact on travel, does not violate the right to travel as it has a purpose other than the restriction of travel and does not discriminate among classes of persons by penalizing the exercise of the right to travel for some. In addition, the court finds that the ordinance penalized particular conduct as opposed to status and thus did not violate plaintiffs rights under the Eighth Amendment, and was not unconstitutionally vague or overbroad. However, the Court notes that the result might be different in an as-applied, as opposed to a facial, challenge.

1996: LASOC establishes its Toll-Free Hotline, 1-800-834-5001, its first technology-based solution to the challenge of using limited resources to efficiently assist the greatest number of people. The LASOC/CLS Hotline provides a centralized intake system for the entire program and is the gateway to all of LASOC services. The Hotline is regularly staffed by ten (10) intake workers who are directly supervised by an attorney. It responds to more than 200 calls per day. Eighty to 100 of daily Hotline callers are eligible for services and receive a range of services including brief counseling on legal matters that are easy to identify, explain and resolve; an appointment in one of LASOC's/CLS many legal clinics/workshop; or an office appointment in the appropriate local office.

1998: LASOC establishes the Health Consumer Action Center, a specialized unit which assists low-income, underrepresented consumers in accessing the health care system in Orange County. As the only program of its kind in Orange County, HCAC provides legal advocacy and expertise to help health care consumers obtain the coverage and benefits they need. . HCAC is funded by The California Endowment.

2000: LASOC creates I-CAN!TM Legal, a web-based application, that enables individuals to prepare their own legal pleadings.

2001: LASOC establishes the Low Income Taxpayers Unit through a grant from the Internal Revenue Service.

2001: LASOC establishes the Asian Language Legal Assistance Program through funding from the State Bar of California.

2001: LASOC Executive Director Robert J. Cohen is honored by the Anti-Defamation League.

2002: LASOC creates software for I-CAN! TM E-File.

2003: LASOC launches its Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Initiative and first deploys I-CAN! E-File TM during the tax season.

2003: CLS Compton receives funding from the State Bar of California Equal Access Partnership Program for the establishment of the Compton Legal Self-Help Center (CLSHC), which provides outreach to the community through its free Self-Help Center located at the Compton Courthouse. CSHLAC also offers computer access to legal documents relating to family law, landlord/tenant actions, consumer and small claims court matters and also provides access to legal resource portals such as I-CAN! TM Legal.

2003: CLS Compton participates in establishment of JusticeCorp, a collaborative project which enables college/university students to work in court-based programs.

2004: The Compton Legal Self-Help Center opens its doors to the community.

2003: LASOC starts the Homeless Legal Assistance Outreach Program through grants from the City of Santa Ana and County of Orange Continuum of Care (through a partnership with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Orange County).

2003: LASOC Executive Director Robert J. Cohen receives the Loren Miller Award from the State Bar of California for his progressive and effective approach to expanding and creating the delivery of legal services to self-represented litigants and improving court operations, most notably, for the creation of I-CAN! Legal.

2003: The California Courts, Judicial Council of California awards the Ralph N. Kleps Award Awarded to the Superior Court of Orange County, in partnership with LASOC, for the I-CAN! Legal program and its proven ability to improve access, fairness, diversity and overall improvement in administration of the California judicial system.

2004: The National Association for Court Management (NACM) awards the Orange County Superior Court with the Justice Achievement Award in recognition of its effective implementation of LASOC's innovative I-CAN!� Legal program and its accomplishments in helping self-represented litigants.

2005: LASOC establishes the Legal Resolutions Center.

2006: Santa Ana office moves to current location of 2101 North Tustin Avenue, a high-tech facility that consists of 18,600 square feet of office space.

2006: LASOC's receives the Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access Awarded in recognition of the Legal Resolutions Center, an innovation that bridges the technological resources of the LASOC with the expertise of the private bar.

2006: LASOC receives special recognition from the Internal Revenue Service to in honor of LASOC's work in providing community awareness, partnership, education and communication in the development and implementation of its Earned Income Taxpayer Credit program.

2006: California First Lady Maria Shriver approaches and partners with LASOC to promote the Earned Income Tax Credit. LASOC hosts a Community Tax Day featuring Ms. Shriver, taxpayers and community-based organizations at the Corbin Community Center in Santa Ana, at which time individuals filed their taxes and claimed the EITC for free using LASOC's I-CAN! E-File TM.

2007: LASOC works with statewide partners in hosting Community Tax Days in Santa Ana, Compton and Oakland for California First Lady Maria Shriver. Ms. Shriver, taxpayers and community-based organizations attend the Community Tax Days, where I-CAN! E-File TM is used by individuals to file their tax returns and claim the EITC for free.

2007: LASOC establishes a Medical-Legal Partnership with University of California, Irvine Family Health Center (Santa Ana). The mission of the Partnership is to help ensure that the children and families in Santa Ana and surrounding areas obtain and keep their basic needs - for food, housing, education, health care, safety and stability - by improving front-line health care staff's capacity to screen, identify, triage and refer basic needs legal issues.

2008: LASOC celebrates its 50th Year of Service on November 6 at The Grove of Anaheim.

Fund Development

LASOC and CLS receive annual funding from a number of private and public agencies, partnerships and charitable organizations and contributions. Through the financial support of the following, LASOC and CLS have been and continue to be able to provide services to the client community:

Legal Services Corporation

State Bar of California

County of Orange Office on Aging

The California Endowment

Internal Revenue Service

Superior Court of California, County of Orange

County of Los Angeles CalWorks

California Bar Foundation

City of Irvine

City of Pico Rivera

City of Bellflower

City of Compton

City of La Mirada

City of Norwalk

City of Whittier

City of Santa Ana

City of Cerritos

Orange County United Way

Union Bank of California Foundation

Wells Fargo Foundation

California Reinvestment Coalition.

LASOC/CLS Hotline

The creation of the Hotline (1-800-834-5001) in 1996 is LASOC's first technology-based solution to the challenge of using limited resources to efficiently assist the greatest number of people. It provides a centralized intake system for LASOC and is the gateway to all of its services. The Hotline is designed to quickly evaluate a caller's legal needs and to provide immediate information and advice to enable callers to begin to solve their legal problems. The Hotline is regularly staffed by ten (10) intake workers who are directly supervised by an attorney. It responds to more than 200 calls per day. Eighty to 100 of daily Hotline callers are eligible for services and receive a range of services including brief counseling on legal matters that are easy to identify, explain and resolve; an appointment in one of LASOC's or CLS many legal clinics/workshop; or an office appointment in the appropriate local office. For callers who are not eligible for services, the Hotline offers information and referrals to more than three hundred organizations that provide services outside LASOC and CLS scope, LASOC'S Lawyers Referral Service or The Legal Resolutions Center.

LASOC and CLS Clinic and Self-Help Services

LASOC and CLS provide information and self-help services which enable low income litigants to access the legal system. In order to cost-effectively meet the legal needs of qualified clients who have less complex legal problems, LASOC and CLS created several attorney-led clinics and workshops in the areas of domestic violence, civil harassment, family law, bankruptcy, landlord-tenant law. An attorney evaluates the clinic participants legal issues, and then the clients are assisted with preparing legal documents and given detailed information regarding the legal process related to their legal problems.

For modest-means individuals who are not eligible for legal services and are unable to afford an attorney, LASOC and CLS offer self-help clinics and services through I-CAN!TM to enable individuals to effectively represent themselves as they navigate the legal system. These services are available at the courthouses in Compton, Norwalk, at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in the City of Orange, and the Legal Resolutions Center located in the Santa Ana office. I-CAN!TM legal document preparation modules are available from kiosks at these locations or at any computer with Internet access.

Direct Representation

LASOC and CLS attorneys provide representation for low income individuals with complex civil legal problems and who fall within our service priorities. The current service priorities for LASOC and CLS include: family support and preservation, maintaining economic stability, safety, access to health services, consumer rights and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities. LASOC and CLS attorneys, paralegals and legal secretaries assist clients with their most urgent legal problems in the areas of Family Law, Housing, Government Benefits, and Consumer Law. Working through the courts and government agencies, LASOC and CLS advocate for their clients to ensure that their rights are protected and that they are treated fairly to obtain a just result.

Because of the considerable costs associated with legal representation, LASOC and CLS accept cases that have the most potential for serious adverse effect upon the individuals involved and those in which LASOC or CLS involvement is likely to affect the outcome of the case.

For individuals who are not eligible to receive legal representation, LASOC created the Lawyers Referral Service (LRS), a program that engages an extensive panel of qualified attorneys who can assist individuals with legal problems that are outside LASOC and CLS scope of services.

To learn how you can support LASOC/CLS, Call (714) 571-5220 or go to You Can Make a Difference.

LASOC/CLS Practice Areas

Legal counsel and representation are the cornerstones of LASOC and CLS. The legal services LASOC and CLS provide range from review of legal forms and documents to brief advice and counsel and, if necessary, legal representation. LASOC and CLS attorneys, paralegals and legal secretaries assist clients with their most urgent legal problems in the areas of Family Law, Housing, Government Benefits, and Consumer Law. Working through the courts and government agencies, LASOC and CLS advocate for their clients to ensure that their rights are protected and that they are treated fairly to obtain a just result.

If you need legal help, Call our Toll-Free Hotline at 1-800-834-5001 or visit an office in your service area.

Family Law Family law is a critical area of service to low income families. Many clients are victims of domestic violence by a current or former spouse and don't know where to turn for help. Some are abandoned by their spouse or partner without financial resources with which to support themselves and their children, and still others are left without the ability to have contact with their own children. LASOC and CLS family law services include assistance with protection orders, dissolution of marriage, paternity matters, child custody and visitation disputes, and financial support to promote stability for the family.

Housing Substandard living conditions, unlawful evictions and the unavailability of affordable housing are critical issues facing the low income population. LASOC and CLS work to preserve housing stability and affordability as well as the availability of housing for low income individuals. LASOC and CLS attorneys also assist clients with eviction defense and help clients respond to issues of retaliation, discrimination and substandard housing. LASOC and CLS promote the production of new affordable housing units, work with cities on code enforcement and challenge land use decisions and actions by local governments.

Consumer Issues The poor, disabled and elderly are often targeted for credit card fraud, identity theft and telephone scams. In general, these populations do not know how to protect themselves and do not have the resources to fight back. LASOC and CLS assist individuals with consumer issues by providing advice and counsel on debt collection practices, garnishments, and contracts and warranties, in addition to providing education on unfair sales practices and other consumer and finance issues. LASOC and CLS also prepare answers to lawsuits, respond to collection matters, provide representation and provide referrals to consumer agencies.

Government Benefits Government benefits, such as Medi-Cal, Social Security benefits, SSI, unemployment insurance, and welfare benefits are necessary for survival for the poor and disabled. These benefits are not only critical for proper medical care, food and shelter, they also provide a means by which the underprivileged and disabled are able to become productive members of the community. LASOC and CLS provide assistance to clients whose government benefits have been wrongly denied or miscalculated. In addition, government regulations for applying and reporting are complicated, and although an individual may meet the requirements for benefits, they often have difficulty completing and processing their documents. LASOC and CLS assist individuals by assessing their problem, reviewing their documents, explaining government forms, advocating on their behalf, and representing them before government agencies and federal court, if necessary.

Bankruptcy Services LASOC and CLS provide a range of bankruptcy services, including advice and counsel, referrals to private attorneys and filing of bankruptcy petitions through LASOC clinics. These services assist individuals who have accumulated unavoidable debt, usually due to the loss of a job, high medical bills, or the death of spouse. Assisting consumers in having debts legally discharged enables people to begin to put their lives back together.

CALL OUR TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-834-5001 IF YOU NEED HELP IN ONE OF THE ABOVE AREAS OF LAW.

Special Programs in Orange County

Asian-American Outreach Program

Health Consumer Action Center (HCAC)

MedLaw Project, A Medical-Legal Partnership with University of California, Irvine Medical Center

Homeless Legal Outreach Project

Low Income Taxpayer Clinic

Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program

The Orange County Small Claims Advisor Program

Special Programs/Southeast LA County

Services are provided to the residents of southeast Los Angeles County under the program name Community Legal Services (CLS), which operates under the administrative umbrella of Legal Aid Society of Orange County. With offices in Compton and Norwalk, CLS responds directly to the needs of the southeast Los Angeles community. As noted previously, the Hotline is the gateway to all of the services offered by CLS and LASOC. In addition to providing legal counsel and representation, attorney referrals, self-help clinics and workshops, CLS has established unique legal outreach and assistance programs.

If you need legal help, Call our Toll Free Hotline at 1-800-834-5001. to support lasoc/cls, click here.

The Domestic Violence Prevention Program With two on-site locations at the Compton and Norwalk Courthouses, CLS provides direct assistance to victims of domestic violence through its Domestic Violence Prevention Program (DVPP). The DVPP is funded by several local cities including Compton, Pico Rivera, Whittier, La Mirada and Bellflower, as well as the County of Los Angeles. It is open five mornings a week from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and it operates under the supervision of an attorney. Victims are assisted with the preparation of restraining order documents, including applications for orders, declarations, temporary restraining orders, and related documents. Program staff also advise clients on court and law enforcement procedures and schedule office appointment for clients needing additional legal services. Before the DVPP came into existence nearly two decades ago, many victims of domestic violence submitted incomplete restraining order applications, which prevented judges from taking immediate action on crucial requests. Thus, technical and procedural errors left victims and their children vulnerable to their abusers. The DVPP has effectively reduced the problems and errors in paperwork so much so that judges of the Norwalk Superior Court refer persons seeking restraining orders to use the service. Since the DVPP's implementation, thousands of battered women and their family members have secured the protection they desperately needed through assistance received by the DVPP's staff. The Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Center (DVLAC) In addition to the court-based DVPP, CLS helps victims of domestic violence and their families to become safe, stable and self-sufficient through a special grant from the County of Los Angeles CalWORKs program. The special funding enables CLS attorneys and paralegals to assist CalWORKs recipients who are victims by completing a comprehensive assessment of the legal services that are needed to stablize their family situation so that they can live independent of the abuser and eventually move to self-sufficiency. Legal services identified in the case assessment are undertaken on behalf of each recipient and generally include court representation.

The Compton Self-Help Legal Assistance Center (CSHLAC) The Compton office of CLS provides outreach to the community through two unique programs. Its free Self-Help Center located at the Compton Courthouse is staffed by bi-lingual attorneys and paralegals and helps people to understand their legal problem and determine the steps necessary to resolve them. CSHLAC offers computer access to legal documents relating to family law, landlord/tenant actions, consumer and small claims court matters and also provides access to legal resource portals such as I-CAN! and other court-facilitated websites. Both one-on-one assistance and group workshops are available at the CSHLAC.

JusticeCorps CLS - Compton is an active participant in the JusticeCorps program a collaborative project which enables college/university students to work in court-based programs. JusticeCorps participants are provided extensive training and work side-by-side with CLS staff to help clients access the legal self-help programs and complete their legal forms.

Norwalk Social Services Center Outreach Program Funding provided by the City of Norwalk CDBG program enables the Norwalk office of Community Legal Services to provide low- income residents with a legal services outreach program at the Norwalk Social Services Center. By offering services at the Center, CLS attorneys and paralegals are able to quickly respond to the legal needs of clients, particularly victims of domestic violence, who are identified by the Center's social workers and are scheduled an appointment.

TO SUPPORT LASOC OR CLS, CALL (714) 571-5220 OR CLICK HERE.

LASOC and CLS-Affiliated Programs

The Lawyers Referral Service Since its 1985 inception, the Lawyers Referral Service (LRS) at Legal Aid Society of Orange County has been effectively matching clients who are in need of legal services with lawyers who are interested in and competent to handle their legal problems. This is particularly critical service for people who do not meet LASOC eligibility guidelines or who have legal cases that fall outside of LASOC's service priorities. LRS is California State Bar-certified and includes 32 referral panels covering more than 100 substantive legal areas. The panel's attorneys are screened for qualifications, carry malpractice insurance and are in good standing with the State Bar of California. Attorneys on the LASOC LRS panel provide a free one-half hour consultation by phone or appointment to evaluate the individuals specific legal needs. Legal Resolutions Center The Legal Resolutions Center (LRC) is the newest addition to LASOC's family of services. The purpose of the LRC is to fulfill the unmet need of the modest means population. LRC builds upon the technological successes of LASOC and its successful Lawyers Referral Service by providing a new and effective way for members of the private bar to help modest means individuals access the justice system. Legal Resolutions offers free and low cost legal services on a walk-in basis, including Legal Genie and I I-CAN!. This innovative project is on the forefront of the battle to promote equal access to the justice system.

Private Attorney Involvement

Legal Aid Society of Orange County receives a major portion of its funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). One of the LSC regulations requires that LASOC expend twelve and one?half percent (12.5%) of its basic field grant to involve private attorneys in providing legal services to eligible clients in service cities. The various PAI programs that LASOC implemented include: 1) a sub-grant to Public Law Center involving the pro-bono efforts of the private bar in a variety of matters, 2) private attorney contracts for direct services and supervision of LASOC's Hotline and Clinic service, and; 3) a Judicare Program in southeast Los Angeles County.

Pro Bono Services

Public Law Center (PLC), formerly Amicus Publico
In 1981, LASOC created Amicus Publico, the predecessor organization to the Public Law Center (PLC). Subsequently, leaders of the private bar separately incorporated Amicus Publico as the Bar's own program to organize the pro bono work of the private bar. LASOC refers cases to PLC after an intake screening and after a review of income eligibility guidelines and after substantive legal issues on a given case have been identified. Consistent with LASOC priorities, eligible applicants are referred to PLC for assistance in subject matter areas based on a monthly menu which outlines the number of cases that PLC pro bono attorneys have signed up to take for this month.

PLC volunteer attorneys have agreed to provide representation in the following substantive areas: Family Law (including custody, visitation, dissolution, and support matters); Tort Defense; Consumer Law; Probate (including guardianship); Real Property and Home Ownership issues; Landlord/Tenant Law; Bankruptcy; Administrative Proceedings; Immigration; and Disability and HIV/AIDS Law. From January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2006, PLC closed 193 cases referred by LASOC. There are presently more than 700 volunteer attorneys participating in the PLC pro bono referral program. During 2006, LASOC provided PLC a subgrant of $57,818.

Emeritus Attorneys
LASOC's Senior Citizens Legal Advocacy Program (SCLAP) is funded by the Federal Title III-B program to provide legal services to senior citizens that reside in Orange County. Several Emeritus Attorneys volunteer their time to SCLAP on a regular basis. During 2006, ten Emeritus Attorneys volunteered their time and contributed over 2630 hours assisting seniors with their legal problems.

Hotline Contract Attorneys The Hotline Intake Unit is the gateway to all of LASOC�s services. Experienced full-time paralegals, part-time paralegals, law students and undergraduate students conduct telephone interviews under the supervision of an attorney. In addition, for more than a decade, LASOC has been contracting with several reduced-fee private attorneys to supplement staff attorney time in assisting with the supervision of the Hotline Intake Unit.

Clinic Contract Attorneys LASOC offers family law clinics (for uncontested dissolutions of marriage), landlord/tenant issues, bankruptcy and children with special education needs. Family Law and Landlord/Tenant Clinics are conducted by LASOC staff attorneys while private attorneys handle the bankruptcy clinics. In addition, LASOC began contracting with a non-profit organization to provide services to families with children who have special education needs. The services include monthly workshops to LASOC's clients. At these workshops, parents receive information regarding their rights and responsibilities under The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To the extent that parents and children require advocacy and legal representation in the area of School Procedure and Special Education Law, LASOCs non-profit partner is able to provide such service.

Judicare Program In 2006, LASOC added a Judicare component to its PAI Program. The program compensates private attorneys based on a specific fee schedule to provide legal services to indigent residents of southeast Los Angeles County. The program includes a panel of private attorneys who practice in southeast Los Angeles County and are given referrals on a rotating basis. The types of cases that are referred to the Judicare Attorney Panel include family law and landlord/tenant matters. The unbundled services will include: OSCs including preparation, and filing of pleadings; representation at an OSC hearing; representation for a Temporary Restraining Order hearing; representation at an Unlawful Detainer trial; preparation and filing of an Unlawful Detainer answer and other documents.

Compton Self-Help Legal Access Center Since 2006, LASOC has been contracting with private attorneys to supplement staff attorney time at the Compton Self-Help Legal Access Center, which is operated by Community Legal Services. CSHLAC is supervised by the Directing Attorney of the Compton office and staffed by paralegals. It provides legal information to self-represented litigants and schedules individuals to attend workshops regarding eviction matters, family law and small claims.

CSHLAC also provides self-help materials with information on divorce, paternity, name change, guardianship, child visitation, response to divorce, response to paternity, eviction and Small Claims. In addition, pro per litigants are routed to do-it-yourself divorce, small claims and eviction defense workshops. Each of the above-mentioned projects is, or has been, directly operated by LASOC. The Supervising Attorneys for the various LASOC units and staff attorneys at LASOC work closely with private attorneys by providing technical, strategic and informational assistance.

To learn how you can support LASOC/CLS, call (714) 571-5220 or go to You Can Make a Difference.

Economic Development and Statewide/Nationwide EITC Initiative

Earned Income Tax Credit and I-CAN! E-File In 2002, Legal Aid Society of Orange County created and began deploying I-CAN!TM E-File, a self-empowerment tool that uses technology to enable low-income individuals to electronically file their taxes for free and claim the EITC, which can return thousands of dollars to a qualified taxpayer. In addition to enabling taxpayers to claim the EITC, I-CAN! E-File also gives taxpayers the ability to claim other credits such as education credits, child tax credits, additional child tax credits, savers credits and other applicable credits during a given tax year.
With the goal of helping more low-income individuals claim the EITC, LASOC developed an additional module for its existing I-CAN! system, thereby creating I-CAN!TM E-File.

To learn more or to file your income tax return for free, click here.

Outreach/Speaker's Bureau

If you would like to have a representative from Legal Aid Society of Orange County or Community Legal Services in Southeast Los Angeles County speak at your next civic or community meeting, or special event, let us know and we will make every effort to accommodate you. To request a speaker, please click here.

The Challenge

You Can Help Bridge The Justice Gap
Based on the 2000 Census, one in ten people in Orange County and southeast Los Angeles County are living below the poverty level. In addition, a large number of low-income litigants are unable to afford the help of a private attorney. These figures reflect the disparity that exists on a statewide and national level.

In fact, the California Commission on Access to Justice reported in March 2007 that two-thirds of the legal needs of low income individuals in California go unmet. As set forth in the report, while there is one private lawyer for every 250 residents, there is only one legal aid attorney available for every 8,361 low-income residents throughout California.

The "justice gap" identified in the Commission's report show that indigent persons lack access to essential civil legal assistance, which then often detrimentally impacts individuals in need of legal services, their families and our communities.

The Work of Legal Aid Society of Orange County
Legal Aid Society of Orange County (LASOC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1958 by a group of local attorneys. LASOC's mission is to provide civil legal services to low-income individuals and to promote equal access to the justice system through advocacy, legal counseling, innovative self-help services, in-depth legal representation, economic development and community education. LASOC's client community consists of individuals whose incomes fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty threshold and any individual over the age of 60. During a competitive bid process, in 1984, LASOC received funds which enabled it to add southeast Los Angeles County, where it is known as Community Legal Services (CLS), to its service area.

LASOC's programs and services are aimed at stabilizing families and providing solutions that to help low-income individuals become independent. By becoming a partner, a volunteer or by otherwise supporting LASOC, you will:

Protect spouses and children from domestic violence; Safeguard the elderly against fraud and abuse; Help families, children and elderly obtain health insurance and other benefits; Assist homeless individuals with legal issues to help them become self-sufficient; Provide individuals with help in filing taxes and obtaining tax benefits to which they are entitled; and Encourage economic development through its Earned Income Tax Credit/I-CAN!TM E-File Program. You can make a difference today. Contact us at jmiramontes@legal-aid.com.

Donate

Your gift to LASOC/CLS is an investment in your community. LASOC and CLS programs and services are aimed at stabilizing families and providing solutions that to help low-income individuals become independent.

Your support enables LASOC to:

• Protect spouses and children from domestic violence;
• Safeguard the elderly against fraud and abuse;
• Help families, children and elderly obtain health insurance and other benefits;
• Assist homeless individuals with legal issues to help them become self-sufficient;
• Provide individuals with help in filing taxes and obtaining tax benefits to which they are entitled;
• Encourage economic development through its Earned Income Tax Credit/I-CAN!TM E-File Program.

To make a secure, online tax-deductible donation, click here. You may also send a check payable to Legal Aid Society of Orange County and mail it to: LASOC, 2101 North Tustin Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705.

Volunteer

Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Community Legal Services have year-round volunteer opportunities in various departments. To volunteer your time and services to one of our four offices, please complete and return the attached Volunteer/Intern/Pro Bono Application Form.

Become a Partner

Become a Partner in Justice. Become a Partner of Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Community Legal Services. Help low-income individuals become independent.
LASOC's programs and services are aimed at stabilizing families and providing solutions that to help low-income individuals become independent. By becoming a partner, a donor, a volunteer or by otherwise supporting LASOC, you will:

• Protect spouses and children from domestic violence;
• Safeguard the elderly against fraud and abuse;
• Help families, children and elderly obtain health insurance and other benefits;
• Assist homeless individuals with legal issues to help them become self-sufficient;
• Provide individuals with help in filing taxes and obtaining tax benefits to which they are entitled; and
• Encourage economic development through its Earned Income Tax Credit/I-CAN!TM E-File Program.

To learn more about LASOC/CLS initiatives and how you can participate as a corporate partner, a community partner, a donor or a volunteer, contact Jennifer Miramontes at (714) 571-5220 or jmiramontes@legal-aid.com.