LAAC’s Trainer Section is hosting a pre-day on Monday, October 28 from 1-4 for anyone in their organization who trains lawyers and legal staff. Join us to share best practices and work with others to identify the highest areas of training needs and create plans for onboarding your new staff!
Monday October 28, 2024 1:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Monterey
The pro bono landscape has shifted over the past five years and we anticipate the coming years to bring yet more change. OneJustice and the Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC) are working on a report of the current state of pro bono in California. Join to hear updates on the progress of the pro bono report, provide feedback and insights on key trends, and engage in facilitated small group discussions.
We encourage attendees to think about these questions in advance: 1. What has changed most in your pro bono practice at your agency/firm/school/organization in the past 5 years? Better? Worse? In what ways? 2. What are the most acute challenges you are facing right now or anticipate facing in the next few years?
Monday October 28, 2024 2:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Santa Barbara
Recent administrative changes by the Social Security Administration that will reduce barriers and expand access to SSI benefits include updates to regulations on in-kind support and maintenance (ISM), changes to overpayment policies, and other operational changes. Join to learn about these changes and share strategies to ensure that SSI older adults and individuals with disabilities benefit from these changes.
Medicare and Medi-Cal provide health coverage to millions of older Californians. Medicare is the federal health insurance program for older adults and people with disabilities and Medi-Cal provides health care to people with limited income. Both Medicare and Medi-Cal are complex, so it is essential for professionals working with older adults to understand how these programs work. Understanding Medi-Cal is also key to understanding the health and long-term care delivery system for older adults. Medi-Cal provides important wraparound services that are not covered by Medicare, such as hearing aids, vision, long-term care, and in-home personal care services. This session is a basic training on Medicare and Medi-Cal and provide attendees with a foundational understanding in Medicare and Medi-Cal eligibility, coverage, and payment rules.
Monday October 28, 2024 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Benicia A/B
Director, Office for Access to Justice, U.S. Department of Justice
Rachel Rossi was appointed to serve as Director of the Office for Access to Justice in May 2022. Prior to her appointment, Director Rossi served as Deputy Associate Attorney General and the inaugural Anti-Hate Coordinator for the Justice Department. She began her career as a public... Read More →
Tuesday October 29, 2024 9:00am - 9:30am PDT
Auditorium
This session will outline how legal service providers can think about incorporating artificial intelligence into their work. It will focus on the preliminary steps that law firms, legal aid organizations, self-help centers, and others can take now that will enable them to make the most of ongoing technological innovations (with a focus on AI tools). These steps include understanding what data is currently collected, where data is stored, what cybersecurity and privacy policies are in place, and how to identify current business processes that could benefit from adding AI or other emerging technology tools.
In parts of California and across the country, early defense, also called preventive legal advocacy, programs are being created to address upstream legal issues that, if left unresolved, can lead to unnecessary reports to the child protection hotline. This meaningful and comprehensive legal advocacy can help to address food, income, and housing insecurity; ensure protection from wrongful denial of government entitlements and benefits; advocate for special education eligibility and other educational needs; and secure protection from intimate partner violence. In Los Angeles, dependency court justice providers are partnering with leaders from several civil legal aid agencies to create a collaborative, county-wide approach to preventive legal advocacy. The conference session will include a discussion of innovative program early defense development happening in Los Angeles, California, and nationally; reframe traditional civil legal aid services as family defense; and encourage attendees to imagine how this work might take root in their counties.
This is an interactive session that will provide the tools to support legal aid staff and board members in developing personalized elevator pitches and becoming better ambassadors for their organizations. The content is beneficial and applicable to all conference attendees and can be applied universally, regardless of geography, organization size, community, etc.
Court procedures are often intended to efficiently resolve cases. Especially in the area of debt collection, some of these procedures end up negatively impacting diverse and low-income debtors, resulting in a lack of access to justice. This presentation will highlight procedures within the Superior Court system that, while well intentioned, lead to confusion, default judgments without proper due process, wages being wrongfully garnished, and bank accounts being wrongfully levied.
This program will delve into critical legal empowerment as a framework for attorneys, future attorneys, and practitioners to consider applying when collaborating with pro se litigants, laypersons and community organizations to develop access to justice programs for those navigating immigration court without legal representation. In light of the ongoing crisis in the immigration courts, particularly in California, where deportation cases rank among the highest nationwide, with almost 50% lacking legal representation, the speakers will highlight regions considered "legal deserts" where access to the courts or justice is even scarcer. This compels attorneys, laypersons and pro se litigants to explore alternative avenues beyond traditional lawyer-led representation. The program will give insights and examine examples of access to justice initiatives moving to build alternatives for pro se litigants in immigration court when legal representation is not available–through collaboration with pro se litigants and the community organizations that serve them–to obtain meaningful access to justice and the immigration courts.Through an interactive group discussion, attendees will practice applying the legal empowerment framework while examining current and future access to justice initiatives in the immigration legal system and identify best practices when collaborating with pro se litigants and community organizations in building initiatives.
Panelists will discuss benefits, best practices, challenges, and solutions of providing full-scope representation, regardless of case merits; how projects have implemented right-to-counsel models with Mandatory Settlement Conferences; and San Francisco’s Tenants Right to Counsel Program; and answer audience questions. The session will conclude with small group discussions among the audience to discuss how to incorporate right-to-counsel in their programs.
Following years of collaboration, the California Pro Bono Portal launched in January 2024 as a community-grown technology platform informed by the perspectives of legal aid organizations, law schools, law firms, and other community partners throughout California. The Portal aims to increase access to free, high-quality legal services for people of limited financial means, diverse client groups, rural communities, and other vulnerable populations by creating tech-enhanced space for legal aid organizations to publish, and volunteers to find, pro bono legal opportunities. Since the launch, 30 legal aid organizations and more than 500 volunteers have registered for the Portal, creating opportunities for volunteers to "match" with legal aid organizations, resulting in expand pro bono legal services, in a wide range of legal issues, throughout California. This Session will provide opportunities for attendees to: (1) learn about the California Pro Bono Portal; (2) gain insights from Portal data, specifically about how the Portal can inform and enhance delivery models for an organization and as part of the broader California legal aid ecosystem; (3) explore the role of the California Pro Bono Portal in supporting local and statewide legal aid and pro bono initiatives, including AB 2505 (pro bono reporting), enhanced community-informed legal services to diverse client groups, and expanded legal services in rural communities; and (4) learn practical best practices from experienced Portal users and ideas for future enhancements.
This one-hour course offers attorneys a concise introduction to generative AI and its implications for legal practice. Attendees will gain foundational knowledge of AI technologies, understand their applications in automating legal documents and enhancing litigation support, and recognize the significant efficiency gains they offer.
People experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction often face barriers to accessing culturally humble, client-centered and zealous advocacy. The unique obstacles inherent in a lack of stable housing combined with mental illness and addiction frequently prevent people from obtaining engaged and sustained legal services to which they are otherwise eligible. This session will identify the key problems and solutions inherent in representing clients experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) Recognition and Accreditation Program has tremendous potential as a tool to expand immigration justice in the nation’s most populous state and beyond. Under this program, nonlawyer accredited representatives may practice immigration law before the Department of Homeland Security and/or EOIR. The State Bar estimates that over 4.8 million Californians stand to benefit from accredited representative services. Yet, as of April 2024, California has fewer than 520 accredited representatives statewide. This panel will provide an in-depth look at the successes and challenges of the program, featuring panelists from EOIR, the California State Bar Office of Access & Inclusion, the DOJ Office for Access to Justice and an accredited representative.
Many low-income Californians who own a home haven’t had access to or information on estate planning. These property owners often die intestate, leaving their family with complicated probate, title, and property tax issues. The result is often unclear title that prevents heirs from having access to equity in the home, refinancing a mortgage, getting homeowners insurance, receiving home repair grants, and accessing tax relief programs and disaster relief funds. These heirs frequently live in the family home and can’t afford statutory probate fees without selling. Bet Tzedek Legal Services in Los Angeles has partnered with the County and the Court to bring these services to Angelenos. We’ll host a roundtable discussion about why these services are important for economic and racial justice, discuss the services offered in our respective counties, and talk about our challenges, best practices, and hopes for the future.
Access to paid leave is associated with better health outcomes for babies, parents, families, and those with serious health conditions. However, for workers in California, understanding, accessing, and enforcing those rights can involve engaging with 3 or more agencies, as well as obtaining multiple certifications from a healthcare provider. For many workers, especially those who are undocumented, this can pose an insurmountable burden. While these challenges are specific to rights to job-protected paid leave, they are unfortunately not unique for those seeking to enforce their rights and access benefits in general. This session will use the example of paid leave to discuss successful strategies for collaboratively breaking down barriers within agency processes and across agencies for marginalized communities through advocacy, education, policy, and advice.
Presenters will highlight three different self-help programs leveraging Partnership funding to expand access to justice. Attendees will gain an understanding of the Partnership funding process, logistics of partnering with the court to operate a self-help program, and the vital role of self-help programs.
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. This lunch will be facilitated by Katy Burnett, Legal Aid Association of California.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Golden Gate
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Yosemite
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
San Diego A
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Redwood B
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
San Diego C
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Benicia A/B
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Santa Barbara
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Cafeteria
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Farallon
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Tuesday October 29, 2024 12:30pm - 1:30pm PDT
Catalina A/B
Pathways to Justice will offer affinity lunches on Tuesday for attendees to meet in person and discuss various topics. Each lunch will be facilitated by a group leader, to be announced.
Join us for an in-depth exploration into the intricacies of California's legal landscape with a focus on writs of mandamus as outlined in the California Code of Civil Procedure sections 1094.5 and 1085. This training offers a comprehensive understanding of these crucial legal tools, providing practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate these proceedings effectively. You will learn practical strategies for drafting petitions for writs of mandamus, handling the record, if a record is needed, preliminary relief, standards of review, procedures for how courts handle writ petitions, and the standards for receiving attorneys’ fees after succeeding on a writ petition. Who Should Attend: This training is designed for attorneys, advocates, and anyone involved in administrative law and/or writ proceedings in California. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner looking to enhance your expertise or a newcomer seeking a comprehensive introduction to writs of mandamus, this session offers valuable insights for all levels of experience. Format: The training will be conducted through a combination of interactive presentations, case studies, and Q&A sessions to facilitate active participation and ensure optimal learning outcomes. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with experienced practitioners and legal scholars, gaining practical insights and actionable strategies for success.
One in five Californians has a debt in collections. Many of these cases turn into lawsuits that result in wage garnishments from, and bank levies on, already struggling individuals and families. It is staggering to note that only 9% of people respond to debt collection lawsuits filed against them, which awards debt collectors with default judgments in droves. Unfortunately, there are not enough attorneys to help consumers through this process; while nearly all of those who respond in court are not represented by an attorney, debt collectors almost always are. This is where community justice workers come in. Legal Link’s Debt Justice Program, in partnership with OneJustice, seeks to develop a concise curriculum to train community justice workers on critical, timely, and UPL-safe debt collection interventions. We believe that community justice worker engagement could begin to fill the tremendous need for consumer advocacy and turn the tides of the bleak state of consumer debt collection as it stands today. Our goal is for attendees to consider the powerful impact of community justice workers in bridging the access to justice gap – not only in the consumer debt space but also in other critical places of need.
In this session, we will explore immigrant eligibility for public benefits, with an emphasis on overlooked trafficking and serious crime survivors eligibility for major benefits programs in California. We will examine immigration avenues available to domestic violence survivors, the immigration benefits that a survivor can obtain, and how a pending or approved petition can make a survivor eligible for public benefits. We will also explore how petitions can be strategically filed to maximize the benefit for the survivor. In addition, we will review basic immigrant eligibility for benefits programs and address misconceptions about immigrant eligibility for benefits. Finally, we will showcase the Benefits Access for Immigrant Los Angeles (BAILA) Network, spearheaded by NLSLA, which is a collaboration between legal aid, outreach organizations and benefits enrollers to increase immigrant access to public benefits and address the chilling effects of public charge (www.bailanetwork.org). Through this collaboration, we have been able to systematically address immigrant survivors' access to public benefits and forge policy changes with our local County Welfare Department.
Lawyer Referral Services (LRS) can be a valuable resource in the community—LRSs can help consumers determine if they have a legal issue and make referrals to attorneys, legal aid organizations, and other community-based organizations. The State Bar certifies LRSs, and thanks to new legislation has an opportunity to re-imagine the LRS program to enable community organizations and nonprofits to better help low-income Californians seeking legal help. This session will provide (1) background on the State Bar’s LRS program and the need to balance protecting the public with providing access to justice, (2) an exploration of the obstacles and challenges program stakeholders face, (3) a vision of the future where formal partnerships between LRSs and nonprofits streamline connections and facilitate access while creating new funding streams, and (4) an opportunity to share your perspective and provide input on the program’s development to extend legal representation to more individuals and communities in need of services.
The transition to adulthood is a critical time in child and adolescent development and youth go through tremendous growth and challenges as they move through this period. Youth with experiences with foster care, homelessness, or the juvenile justice system face many obstacles during this transition, including lack of family and community connections and appropriate services and supports which can be compounded by a history of trauma.
In this roundtable discussion, you'll hear about the ways that dependency attorneys, juvenile public defenders, and civil legal aid attorneys can work in partnership to support transition-aged youth (ages 16-26) impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Panelists will speak about the importance of high-quality youth-directed representation, meeting the various civil legal needs of youth and families involved with these systems, the ways that legal aid, dependency counsel, and public defenders can connect and partner on behalf of clients, and successes and challenges with connecting transition-aged clients to civil legal aid.
Advocates experience common, biological reactions to the stress and trauma present in their work. Come learn the practical, biology-based wellness skills of the Community Resiliency Model, which supports people around the world in resetting and stabilizing their nervous systems. These skills also form the foundation for both personal resiliency and the capacity to provide trauma-informed services to communities.
Learning Goals: Upon completion, • Participants will have an understanding of their neurobiology as it relates to stress, trauma, resiliency, and well-being. • Participants will be able to use the Resiliency Zone framework to assess levels of stress and well-being in real time. • Participants will be able to use five biology-based well-being skills of the Community Resiliency Model to respond to stress, increase well-being, and as the foundation for trauma-informed services.
Panelists will discuss benefits, best practices, recruitment/retention, challenges, and solutions of utilizing pro bono attorneys; how projects have implemented pro bono models; how the JusticeCorps program can supplement services to self-represented litigants; and answer audience questions. The session will conclude with small group discussions among the audience to discuss how to incorporate more pro bono attorneys in their programs.
Join us for a transformative 90-minute session as we delve into the groundbreaking world of transforming access to justice through the reimagination of the legal process through the lens of AI. We are at the cusp of a revolution, a great transition, where technology converges with the pursuit of justice to dismantle barriers and empower individuals worldwide.
Led by two esteemed speakers, Zoe Dolan, Supervising Attorney at the Appellate Clinic, Public Counsel, and Charmaine Lacsina, Director of Innovation and Strategy at Open Door Legal, we will embark on a thought-provoking journey that explores the intersection of technology, social impact, and the pursuit of a more equitable legal system.
The session will begin with an introduction to AI tools that can increase access to justice, highlighting areas of overlap and divergence among tools designed for lawyers and self-represented litigants. Discover how the power of innovation is being harnessed to bridge the gap between privilege and access to justice, unlocking opportunities for the most marginalized members of society.
Zoe will demo her Clinic's AI tools, discuss how they can help everyday folks engage with the legal system and the courts, and offer some preliminary findings and perspective on what we are learning about how human beings and machines interact in the context of litigation.
Drawing from a wealth of experience in building people-focused products and programs, Charmaine has been at the forefront of this transformative movement. With a passion for solving complex systemic human problems, Charmaine's career path has led her to spearhead the creation of the first technology network to build universal legal representation.
Charmaine will present two AI tools: 1. An internal tool to streamline the screening form process for guests using an AI agent. 2. An AI partnership for legal discovery.
Through captivating storytelling and compelling insights, Charmaine will unveil the inner workings of these AI-driven tools and their potential to revolutionize the way justice is accessed and delivered. Discover how cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data analytics are being leveraged to break down traditional barriers and create a more inclusive legal ecosystem.
By the end of this presentation, you will be inspired and equipped with a deeper understanding of the potential of technology to transform access to justice. Discover how you can play an active role in this movement, whether through collaboration, advocacy, or the implementation of innovative solutions within your own sphere of influence.
One of the challenges facing growing legal services organizations is hiring and retaining committed lawyers to fill newly funded positions to expand the reach and impact of the work in priority issue areas. Pro bono leaders collaborating on a homelessness prevention project will discuss their efforts in building a law student-to-attorney pipeline to increase the capacity of eviction defense attorneys in Los Angeles – a critical piece of a long-term goal to increase access to justice for low-income tenants facing eviction and the possibility of homelessness.
Panelists will discuss strategies and practical tips for engaging law students and recent law graduates in legal services work with a goal of promoting careers in public interest or a commitment to pro bono service. Strategies include outreach, development of tailored trainings, regular engagement of law students as volunteers, expansion of law clerk and fellowship opportunities, and mentorship and support for law students and recent graduates.
How organizations collaborating using both internal and external cross-program resources to respond to humanitarian and legal needs resulting from a dramatic increase of migrants crossing the southern border, and in particular migrants coming from China and other Asian countries.
The Covid-19 pandemic has stimulated important changes in online information access as digital engagement became necessary to meet the demands for the Judicial Branch. The Judicial Council of California Language Access Services launched its new Language Access Services webpages on April 25, 2024. The Language Access Services Program is the first Judicial Council program to migrate to Drupal, a new content management platform and the new webpages consolidate both the Court Interpreters Program and Language Access Implementation unit online content. The new webpages contain reorganized and streamlined content to enhance user experience and ensure language access information is easily searchable, findable and understandable by our diverse stakeholders, including: limited English proficient court users, court interpreters, individuals who are interested in becoming a court interpreter, testing candidates, court Language Access Representatives, judicial officers, advocates for LEP court users, and other justice partners throughout the state. Presenters will present the new webpages, including new features, and show how the site can easily navigate.
Employer-sponsored retirement benefits can serve as a critical source of income security in the lives of older adults. Pensions are not solely for higher income workers, many employers and unions offer(ed) these types of employee benefits, but it is not always easy to claim the benefits at retirement age, especially if the employment was from a long time ago or if you are a former or surviving spouse of the employee. Many younger workers do not understand or track their retirement benefits. Similarly, many couples fail to recognize pensions as a valuable piece of community property, and either fail to address it at divorce, or do not finish with getting the necessary orders so that both parties receive their share of the benefit. There are two statewide organizations available for free legal services, training and mentoring with pension and Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) cases, Legal Services of Northern California’s Western States Pension Assistance Project and the Center for Access to QDROs. In this session, the Western States Pension Assistance Project will highlight the most common retirement benefit issues, offer tips on spotting these issues in existing legal aid cases, and share tools for addressing common pension problems for participants as well as former and surviving spouses. The Center for Access to QDROs will share information about their organization’s training and support around QDROs, and highlight their use of cutting edge QDRO technology, used to reach those most in need of valuable QDRO income. They will demonstrate the QDROCounsel platform and generate a QDRO live, illustrating the ease at which advocates can handle these matters to help increase low-income clients’ financial stability.
The panel will address the policy aims, lived experiences, constitutional obstacles, and legal crafting involved in the modern movement to eliminate stigmatization of formerly incarcerated persons in the workforce. The "ban-the-box" model, concepts of fair chance and just access, and antidiscrimination related to arrest, charge, and conviction history will be discussed. Social scientific research will be reviewed, as well as recent legal developments at a local, state, and national scale. Should be of interest both to newcomers to the subject as well as to experienced advocates, as attempts at rethinking received strategies will be highlighted.
In this presentation, Child Care Law Center will cover housing rights for family child care providers and subsidy rights for families. We will interweave how intentional and on-going engagement through community engagement and listening sessions direct our work in these areas and help us provide targeted assistance to legal aid attorneys, policy advocates, and the community.
Legal Aid Association of California Happy Hour Shovels Bar & Grill is a 3-minute walk from the conference center Happy Hour specials at the bar from 3-6 p.m. Light refreshments and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available. This event is generously sponsored by Legal Services Funders Network (LSFN). Please RSVP here by Friday, October 18th!
Tuesday October 29, 2024 4:15pm - 6:00pm PDT
Shovels Bar & Grill460 Larkin St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Recruitment and retention are acute issues impacting the legal aid community. This session will include a presentation on the State Bar's 2023 Diversity Report Card with a focus on the nonprofit sector as well as a panel discussion with legal aid leaders who will share insights and effective approaches to support an inclusive workplace and address recruitment and retention issues within their organizations.
Join us for a discussion on advocating for educational equity in partnership with a broadly diverse coalition of clients and stakeholders. This session will focus on Mae M. v. Komrosky, an ongoing lawsuit against the Board of Trustees of the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD), as a case study. In that lawsuit, a coalition of teachers, parents, and students are challenging (1) a ban on discussions on race and gender, couched as a ban on teaching Critical Race Theory, and (2) a forced outing policy that targets LGBTQ students. Participants will examine these policies and their disproportionate harms to marginalized students and teachers, while also learning about legal strategies to challenge these restrictions, particularly in state court. The conversation will also consider the complexities of serving individual and organizational clients that are demographically and ideologically diverse. Through interactive discussions with experienced practitioners, attendees will gain valuable insights and practical tools for advancing racial, economic, and gender justice in educational settings while working with a diverse client coalition.
This session will help participants recognize traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms in clients or litigants they serve. It will explore the causal connection between domestic abuse and adverse childhood experiences and TBI. Using case studies participants will identify practical ways to ensure people with TBI have equitable access to safety and justice through the civil court system.
Access to legal representation for immigrants enduring removal cases in immigration court is a vital immigrant justice issue. It not only impacts the individual in removal proceedings but their family and community as well. Legal representation during the arduous fight to stay home is central to the mental well-being of immigrants and immigrant communities. Access to counsel increases access to justice for immigrants because immigrants have a higher chance of a successful legal outcome in their case when represented by an attorney who can defend their due process and civil rights. Publicly funded deportation defense programs now exist in more than 55 jurisdictions across 21 states.
Universal representation—a public defender model for people facing immigration removal proceedings—would help keep families together, ensure fewer immigrants are detained in immigration detention centers, disrupt the prison-to-deportation pipeline, and increase successful outcomes in immigration cases. This session will elevate the central role legal aid providers and pro bono partners play in defending immigrants before immigration judges, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the federal courts, while emphasizing the need for an immigrant-led movement focused on ensuring that communities are not torn apart by our cruel and fundamentally unfair deportation system.
The panel will highlight local access to counsel programs that can serve as models for other efforts around the state and the country, including the Represent Los Angeles (RepLA) program and similar efforts in Long Beach, Santa Ana, and San Diego. Panelists will also highlight the importance of a holistic approach that pairs legal services with referrals to social services (e.g., assistance with obtaining medical care, housing, benefits, economic support, etc.) with the ultimate aim of integrating immigrants and their families into local communities with the tools they need to thrive.
Panelists will inform conference participants about exciting legislative campaigns that aim to expand access to counsel for immigrants, including the Representation, Equity, and Protections for All Immigrants Act (REP4ALL) bill in California and the Vera Institute for Justice’s Fairness to Freedom national campaign, which calls for federally funded universal representation. The session will also serve as a rallying point for recruiting more advocates and legal aid providers to the universal representation cause, incorporating them into existing campaigns and encouraging more local universal representation efforts.
The panel will consist of local, state, and national advocates working on the front lines toward the common goal of ensuring that the due process rights of all immigrants are respected in the courts. Panelists include Lindsay Toczylowski, Executive Director of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center; Liz Kenney, Associate Director of the Advancing Universal Representation Initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice, and Francisco Ugarte, Managing Attorney in the Immigration Defense Unit at the Office of the Public Defender in San Francisco. Panelists will discuss the ways that immigration consequences are dealt with in the criminal justice system and the importance of a public defender model, while encouraging lawyers to volunteer their time to provide pro bono legal services.
The session format will include ample time for questions and answers to encourage audience participation and brainstorming of ways that legal services can be provided on a universal basis to immigrants facing removal from the United States.
The Judicial Council Information Technology department, in coordination with the Judicial Council Technology Committee and individual trial courts, has developed a number of applications to assist court users. Many of those applications are specifically designed to assist self-represented litigants, with a particular focus on users with limited English proficiency or community members who face difficulty accessing the courts (including those with geographic, economic, and physical barriers to access).
We will highlight and discuss a number of those applications, including Hybrid/Remote Hearings, MyCitations/Online Trial by Declarations, Virtual Customer Service Center Pilot, and California Courts Translator (Voice to Text) Pilot. Discussions will include how projects are prioritized, how the Judicial Council gathers information on the needs of court users, our metrics for success, and how we meet resource challenges (including our current budget climate). Some of the staff working on those specific projects will be brought in, depending on availability, to offer their own “on the ground” experience. The presentation will also give those in attendance an opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions about how the Judicial Council makes decisions regarding its technology project portfolio.
Panelists will discuss various aspects of administering pilot projects and how they adhere to the provisions of the Shriver Act, such as integrating unbundled and self-help services, working with the project’s advisory council, adapting service delivery methods and scheduling based on the needs of customers, and program invoicing.
The session will include small group discussions and sharing of practices and procedures for establishing income eligibility; case eligibility and selection; service implementation and delivery methods; obtaining court records; litigant outreach; and challenges and solutions related to court procedures, processes, and rules.
Shriver Housing Settlement Master, Santa Barbara Superior Court
Richard is the Shriver Settlement Master for Santa Barbara Superior Court and developed the Court’s Shriver Mandatory Settlement Conference Program. He hears all Shriver Mandatory Settlement Conferences in matters relating to housing and has significant experience working with Self-Represented... Read More →
Join us for strategies to encourage high-quality legal writing in your organization and create a positive feedback culture. Effective legal writing centers the reader (whether a client, the court, opposing counsel, or others) to ensure that they receive information in an efficient and persuasive way. Great legal writing takes time, repetition, and honest and constructive editors. That is where supervisors and writing mentors come in. We will discuss tips for achieving reader-centered writing, working with others to help improve their writing, and normalizing constructive feedback on legal writing. Come and gather inspiration for helping your teams along their writing journeys.
This session will explore how ageism creates barriers to legal services for older adults. The session will look at how to recognize and combat ageism both at an organizational and personal level. The session will provide participants with the tools to begin creating an anti-ageist culture within their organization.
AI brings both promise and peril across all sectors, and the practice of legal aid is not immune. In this program, we will share lessons learned from LCCRSF’s use of traditional and generative AI tools in our community serving clinics and programs. In particular, we will discuss strategies for developing an ethical AI practice and future roles for AI in reducing the justice gap.
Moreover, the Law Center for Better Housing's Rentervention Program will teach providers how to use AI to increase their homelessness prevention services. Specifically, we will walk providers through how to use AI to increase their capacity to draft letters to landlords and divert capacity towards eviction defense services. Walk away with the knowledge to create your own AI-supported letters for clients.
As a statewide online, on-demand legal services training program focused on pro bono, the Pro Bono Training Institute (PBTI) has collaborated with nearly 100 legal services organizations to train over 9,000 volunteers since 2014. We will share what has worked for our remote trainings over the past 10 years to address statewide pro bono needs, collaborating to improve volunteer support by pooling the limited resources of legal services. Discuss how PBTI and its substantive, skill-based online training content can be utilized to address ongoing and future California legal needs such as law student pipeline programs.
The Medical Legal Community Partnership (MLCP) model exemplifies the power of when legal aid attorneys train community partners to identify legal issues in a way that ultimately increases referrals to legal services. The presentation would: (1) Explain the MLCP model and how particularly vulnerable populations (the sick, the elderly, monolingual speakers, etc.) have better access to legal aid through MLCP; (2) Explain how MLCP attorneys train physicians, medical social work, case management, and mental health providers to identify legal issues in a way that empowers staff to generate referrals to legal aid; (3) Provide data on how MLCPs better the social determinants of health, which is a unique metric of the benefits of legal aid; and (4) Explain how these training principals can be adopted to train other, non-medical community partners (i.e. domestic violence shelter staff, food pantry staff, etc.) to try to increase legal aid referrals
People with disabilities in the United States have historically been and continue to be denied their right to make their own decisions about core aspects of their lives, including where to live, who to spend time with, what health care to access, and whether and how to form families. In the past, state and local governments institutionalized and forcibly sterilized disabled people, and often banned their presence in the community through “ugly laws.” Today, disabled people still experience pervasive obstacles to self-determination through restrictive guardianships, forced mental health treatment, barriers and bans preventing access to reproductive and other critical healthcare, insurmountable penalties to marriage, and punitive governmental interventions into the lives of disabled parents. When disabled people and their supporters seek legal services to navigate these problems, they may encounter additional access barriers and lack of disability competencies. Using a panel discussion format with three DREDF lawyers, we will identify the common barriers that prevent disabled people from making self-determined decisions about their bodies and futures. We will review the work of DREDF and its partners to dismantle these barriers through advocacy and public policy. We will discuss how legal aid lawyers and their law firm partners can offer readily accessible legal services that support and advance the bodily and decisional rights of indigent disabled people.
The program will be a discussion about the way restitution has failed Defendants, survivors, and families. The discussion will center on the current and new laws concerning restitution and suggestions on how they can be amended to become an effective and equitable tool in the criminal law system.
A courthouse is often the first stop for individuals with a legal need or issue. Legal aids have a pulse on the needs of the community. California State Bar Partnership Grants bring these two parties together to address those needs. This panel will go over building a relationship with your local court, building a project, and maintaining a collaborative relationship with your court partner.
As pandemic-era eviction protections end across California, an increasing number of tenants are being served with eviction notices. Many tenants face difficulties in even responding to these evictions, a necessary step in avoiding default judgments and the loss of their homes. The Tenant Power Toolkit, introduced in July 2022, is an online self-help resource that generates answers and related initial documents for tenants, allowing them to raise defenses, waive a default, and fight the eviction. Over the last year, ICLC has successfully utilized the power of community organizers with expertise in outreach, lawyers with knowledge of housing law, and pro bono partners with a desire to advocate, to turn the Toolkit into a powerful weapon against unlawful evictions. ICLC would like to present the use of the Toolkit and how technology and collaborations can help tackle one our biggest crises - homelessness.
Many victims/survivors don't feel safe at home because their address can be found out. One way to help victims/survivors keep their address confidential is the California Safe at Home program that is administered through the Secretary of State’s Office. This session will provide an overview of the program, how to determine if someone is a Safe at Home participant, and the different legal services that participants may need assistance with (e.g., confidential name changes). This session will also help attendees learn how to refer victims/survivors to the program.
In a challenging hiring climate, learn how ImmDef is increasing its capacity to represent vulnerable children through its unique Spanish Language for Lawyers Program. With a combination of intensive in-person and online classes and interpretation support, ImmDef has constructed an innovative program to build representational capacity and bring a diverse cohort of zealous advocates into the work. Panelists will discuss this innovative approach to increasing capacity and discuss lessons learned as ImmDef as ImmDef continues to expand and refine its model.
This session will connect the link between paying summer law students at Legal Services Organizations (LSOs) and increasing racial diversity and equity while also strengthening the law student to LSO pathway. Learn about how California has helped increase diversity among summer law students in legal services organizations through examples of funded programs and through the support of the California Legal Aid Leaders summer law clerk fellowship program.
No corner of California has escaped the effects from the multitude of disasters in recent years. From unexpected winter storms to the now-anticipated major wildfires, these major disasters disproportionately impact the most vulnerable communities, often exacerbating the financial, physical, and emotional wellbeing of those who are already living on the margins. Partners from the statewide Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative (DLAC) will discuss the most common legal issues that arise during and after disasters. The panel will share experiences and tips for an effective legal response, and highlight how lawyers can respond to disasters in ways that may advance equity and further individual and regional recovery efforts. DLAC comprises statewide legal aid programs, the State Bar, local bar associations, law firms, government agencies, and community organizations, that plan for and provide free disaster legal services to impacted Californians. The panel will discuss how coordination and collaboration can expand the availability and delivery of increasingly essential disaster legal services to those most in need.
This session will share insights and best practices arising from the efforts of the four major legal aid organizations headquartered in Orange County, who are working towards the goal of creating the first ever unified, coordinated entry system for the region's low-income communities. Recent changes in leadership at the entities – all-female for the first time in Orange County's history – have organically led to new opportunities for collaboration and fresh perspectives on the organizations' shared mission to increase access to justice for the region's most vulnerable individuals.
Building Justice Bridges with Web Tools: The work of addressing digital divides includes building effective, plain-language, pro-per centered web tools. This session will highlight two innovative approaches and strategies for creating new web tools and report on pro-per feedback and impact on service delivery . First, Alison Corn ( Judicial Council of California) will walk through the recent overhaul of self-help resources on the state’s website to create a new resource rich platform . Next, Bertha S. Hayden from Bet Tzedek Legal Services will demonstrate a new platform focused on replicating a self-help clinic experience. Presenters will share a framework for getting started and lead a group discussion on best practices.
This closing session will explore why attorney wellness is key to building resiliency. Discover how to make wellness a top priority and practice mindfulness techniques to tackle stress and adversity.
