Program areas at Legal Aid Association of California
LAAC Core Programs: During FY2223, LAAC provided many meetings and online trainings for the legal services community and the first ever California Legal Aid Executive Director Retreat. LAAC also provided summer fellowships for law students through LAACs Dan Bradley Fellowship program. LAAC undertook several advocacy efforts to protect funding for civil legal services in California's state budget. LAAC also supported a statewide resource and referral website at www.LawHelpCA.org. LAAC staff trained front-line helpers across the state on how to help people in crisis access legal resources. The program has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic in response to people facing employment and housing insecurity. Staff also recruited volunteer law students to help site users find the information they needed, as people in legal crisis often want a real person (not a bot) to help them.
Self-Represented Litigation Network: In January 2023, LAAC became the temporary fiscal sponsor of the Self Represented Litigation Network. SRLN is a collaborative project of court staff, academics, judges, and other stakeholders dedicated to making the justice system more accessible to people who are self-represented in court. SRLN is transitioning to a new home and needed a temporary fiscal sponsor within our community to close out their nonprofit projects. For more information, see SRLN.org.
Legal Services Funders Network: In 2022, LAAC became the fiscal sponsor of LSFN. LSFN is comprised of many types of foundations, law firms, law schools, individuals, government staff, and bar associations. For some, funding legal services is a primary focus. For others, funding legal services is a strategy used to help amplify the impact of grants in specific focus areas. Network members provide support to a range of organizations, including community-based direct legal services providers, those involved with public policy, advocacy and impact litigation, and those that provide infrastructure support to the legal aid field. LAACs fiscal sponsorship of LSFN involves processing fellowship stipends for LSFNs robust post-graduate fellowship program, placing law school graduates in legal aid organizations prior to their passing the California Bar Exam.