Learn About the Wiggins Settlement
What is the Wiggins Settlement Agreement? The Wiggins Settlement Agreement is a 2006 stipulated judgment that was the result of a redevelopment lawsuit filed by a homeless organization and two individuals to protect low-income housing in downtown Los Angeles. What does the Wiggins Settlement do? The Settlement protects more than 9,000 low-income housing units. Since […]
Pro Bono Spotlight: Venable LLP
“I am a first-generation lawyer and have witnessed, prior to law school, family and friends who lacked the tools and resources to advocate for themselves in pivotal stages of their lives. This drove me to become a lawyer, so that I could adequately advocate for both myself and for others who cannot do so for […]
Helping Workers Receive the Benefits They Are Due
Millions of workers across the nation have lost their jobs throughout the pandemic. In California, people have faced multiple obstacles in applying for jobless claims and receiving the money they are due. “The state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) has had a tremendous backlog in claims and appeals since the start of the pandemic,” said Yolanda […]
Staff Spotlight: December 2021
What drew you to public interest law?I was drawn to public interest law because it is very people-focused. Specifically, it is focused on the needs of people who would otherwise be shut out from accessing the justice system. Additionally, growing up here in LA County in the Compton, Watts, and Long Beach areas, I saw […]
Pro Bono Spotlight: Amazon
As the pandemic persists around the globe, tenants in Los Angeles County continue to face housing insecurity. Complicated laws make it difficult for tenants to navigate the eviction process and understand their rights. LAFLA staff have fought throughout the pandemic for low-income tenants, providing representation, education, and advocacy along with our partners and pro bono […]
Justice for Veterans
LAFLA understands that civil legal services are critical for veterans. LAFLA began offering free legal help for low-income veterans in 1999 through the Bill Smith Homeless Veterans’ Project, which became the Veterans Justice Center. “LAFLA’s Veterans Justice Center is proud to serve our veterans and their families. Our veterans risked their lives to keep our country […]
Pro Bono Spotlight: Lovette Mioni
Pro Bono Week (October 24-30, 2021) falls within Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In honor of the volunteers who help us provide justice for domestic violence survivors, we spoke with Lovette Mioni, a private family law attorney. According to LAFLA Supervising Attorney Julianna Lee, “It’s a real commitment for an attorney to take on a longer-term family law case.” Ms. […]
Fighting for Domestic Violence Survivors
Juliette Ford, the author, is a paralegal with the Supporting Families Workgroup who co-runs LAFLA’s domestic violence hotline and legal clinic. I have been working in domestic violence (DV) professionally for several years. When the need to share that fact presents itself, I always add “professionally.” Like many others in DV, my first encounter with […]
Pro Bono Spotlight: Netflix
Throughout the pandemic, Netflix has partnered with LAFLA to host several expungement clinics. Volunteers help individuals clear their criminal records — which opens opportunities for clients who have faced tremendous setbacks, especially during the pandemic. Netflix attorneys and support staff have helped clients expunge more than 110 convictions from their records. “Collaborating with LAFLA to […]
Our 2020 Annual Report is Live
We are excited to announce the release of our 2020 Annual Report. Learn about LAFLA’s impact on our clients and community members, as we pivoted to mostly remote services due to COVID. Our 2020 Annual Report is a tribute to the resilience of our clients, for whom the pandemic exacerbated many of the issues they […]