Remembering Elena Ackel
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.
Tribute to a Community Legend: Immigration Attorney Michael Ortiz
LAFLA bids a heartfelt farewell to a true champion of justice, Special Counsel on Immigration Michael Ortiz, who is retiring after more than 45 years of transformative service to the immigrant community.
Feature: Medical-Legal Partnerships with Sheyda Joolharzadeh
Get to know LAFLA’s nationally recognized Medical Legal Partnerships (MLPs) in this Q&A with Managing Attorney Sheyda Joolharzadeh.
Meet Our Team: Pierre Cordero
Pierre Cordero is a LAFLA staff attorney with a serendipitous story. Needing assistance with a paternity case several years ago, Pierre went to LAFLA’s Torrance Self-Help Center, where he met with Senior Paralegal Kim Aston-Young. After explaining his situation to her, Kim compassionately “began to break down the process of what [Pierre] needed to do […]
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 […]
Meet Our New Directors
Over the last year, we in the nonprofit sector, and specifically in legal services, have served as lifelines for our clients: providing access to justice, resources, and services to keep them housed, healthy, safe, and economically secure. Our commitment to our clients and our communities has never wavered. The pandemic and our nation’s racial reckoning have laid […]
A (Safer at Home) Day in the Life of a LAFLA Staffer
LAFLA Senior Attorney Paula Cohen has spent more than 25 years of her life assisting some of LAFLA’s most vulnerable clients – those suffering abuse and violence at home, yet without the financial resources to move safely elsewhere. Paula’s entire career has focused on working with domestic violence victims, helping them to secure safety, stable […]
Attorney Jim Burgess Named President of Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles’ Board of Directors
The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, the leading frontline law firm for low-income people in Los Angeles, announces the appointment of Jim Burgess of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP to serve as president of the Board of Directors. The two-year appointment took effect July 1. “Jim brings a breadth of talent and dedication […]