It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our colleague of over 50 years, the inimitable Elena Ackel—an extraordinary advocate whose relentless commitment to justice changed countless lives.
Elena was a pioneering force behind many of LAFLA’s most innovative and effective programs, including our work on student loans and government benefits. Once described by L.A. Weekly as “one of the best lawyers in the city, [with] a tenacity that’s stunning,” she devoted her career to confronting the systems that keep people in poverty.
During the foreclosure crisis of the 1980s, Elena represented South LA homeowners targeted by predatory lenders. She was an early champion for students victimized by predatory vocational schools, and her advocacy led to landmark legislation that transformed oversight of these institutions and established critical protections for student borrowers.
Elena in 2013.
Elena also achieved far-reaching victories for healthcare access and people with disabilities. With Lopez v. Heckler (1983), she successfully challenged the unlawful termination of disability benefits, securing lasting protections for tens of thousands of Social Security recipients. In Harris v. Board of Supervisors (2004), she was part of a LAFLA team that prevented the closure of the Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center and the downsizing of L.A. County/USC Hospital. In later years, she focused on complex Medi-Cal disenrollment cases, fighting for gravely ill clients denied access to crucial care.
Elena (back row, third from right) with colleagues from LAFLA’s Economic Stability Workgroup, 2017.
Elena in L.A. Weekly, 1996.
Fearless and uncompromising, Elena demanded nothing short of excellence in the pursuit of justice for our clients—a standard she applied equally to government and institutions, her partners in the legal aid community, and herself. She worked hard her entire career and was known to spend long evenings and weekends researching cases, driven by deep care for the people she served. She was relentless in holding government and individuals accountable—not only because they violated the law, but because their actions caused deep harm.
A true believer in the mission of legal aid, Elena devoted over 50 years of service to LAFLA. Asked why she stayed, she once replied: “Because everything is still so decidedly unfair, and the stakes are very high.”
She received many acknowledgements for her work, including the California State Bar’s Loren Miller award. Her colleagues remember that she loved nature, had the heartiest laugh, and never, ever suffered fools.
To Elena, we can only say: Thank you for everything.
¡Elena Ackel, presente!