Pro Bono Legal Clinics - San Diego County

Legal Aid Society of San Diego

The Association of Corporate Counsel - San Diego (ACCA-SD) and the Legal Aid Society have entered into an informal partnership to encourage pro bono work by in house counsel. For more information on the numerous and valuable opportunities visit http://www.LASSD.org/.

Five programs involving youth at risk: a. Victim/youth offender mediation; b. Family intervention mediation; c. Peer mediation training; d. Group conferencing mediation; and e. Representation at school disciplinary hearings.

Family law programs: Domestic violence TRO's; and Show cause hearings.

Economic Impact Program: a. Pro bono corporate legal matter assistance to 501 (c) (3)'s. Tax advice re fundraising. b. High impact litigation.

Homeless Prevention Advocacy: Advice to defendants with unlawful detainer issues.

Immigration matters.

Consumer credit matters.

Basic estate planning and guardianship.

For all of its volunteer lawyers the Legal Aid Society offers training, training materials, experienced lawyers as mentors, prescreening of cases and malpractice insurance.

Contact: Clare Maudsley, Esq. (619) 262-5557

Law Library Project

The Law Library Project is a collaboration of SDVLP and the San Diego Public Law Library to assist unrepresented litigants in obtaining legal information and advice. A general advice legal clinic is conducted every Monday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. and a second legal clinic is offered on Wednesday afternoons from 1 - 3:30 p.m. at the Law Library's downtown San Diego branch. Members are not expected to take on a client for on-going representation but are there to help issue spot, assist individuals in legal research and filing procedures, and refer clients to other legal resources from a list compiled by SDVLP. For more information, please call Jerry Polansky at (619) 235-5656, ext. 113.

Guardianship Clinic Program

In cooperation with the Probate Court and Probate Examiner's Office, SDVLP operates weekly clinics to assist self-represented, responsible adults who are residents of San Diego County in obtaining guardianship of children who have been abused, neglected or abandoned by their parent(s). There is a short hands-on training session for volunteers at the clinics and SDVLP attorneys are available to assist.

For more information, please call Jerry Polansky at (619) 235-5656, ext. 113.

Elder Law

SDVLP provides advice and representation to senior citizens throughout the San Diego County. SDVLP conducts periodic meetings throughout San Diego County at various senior centers and ACCA members are needed to help counsel seniors in various legal matters. Eligible seniors seek assistance on a variety of matters including consumer protection and landlord-tenant issues, estate planning and trust administration, insurance issues, conservatorship, elder-fiduciary abuse and other civil law matters. Members are not expected to take on a client for on-going representation but are there to help issue spot, and refer clients to SDVLP and/or other legal resources from a list that is compiled by SDVLP. Information concerning the specific clinic locations, dates and times will be available shortly. For more information, call Jerry Polansky (619) 235-5656, extension 113.

Domestic Violence Prevention Project

Victims of domestic violence receive assistance in completing and filing restraining orders, related legal relief, and referrals to social support agencies and shelters. Services are provided at project clinics located throughout the County. No prior substantive law knowledge is required to volunteer at the Domestic Violence legal clinics. A short hands-on training session is provided at the clinics and experienced SDVLP staff are available to assist volunteers. For more information please call Jerry Polansky at (619) 235-5656, ext. 113.

AIDS Legal Services Project

The AIDS Legal Services Project provides comprehensive legal services to HIV positive individuals who meet certain income and asset ceilings. Direct representation is limited to those situations where no contingency fee arrangements are available through the private bar. When appropriate, the AIDS Legal Services Project will refer individuals to other agencies throughout San Diego County.

Staff and volunteer attorneys provide assistance in a variety of subjects including, but not limited to, estate planning, landlord/tenant disputes, bankruptcy and other debtor/creditor problems, insurance difficulties, family law questions, employment discrimination situations, guardianship and conservatorship matters, SSI appeals, tax issues, confidentiality concerns and traffic tickets. The Project does not handle criminal matters nor does it typically provide on-going representation on matters that are unrelated to the client's diagnosis, e.g., most personal injury actions.

The AIDS Legal Services Project provides such services through satellite legal clinics held periodically throughout San Diego County, as well as referrals to volunteers. Members who attend one of the legal clinics are not required to take on clients for on-going representation but are there to help issue spot, provide advice, and refer clients to SDVLP and/or other legal resources from a list that is compiled by SDVLP. Though there are satellite clinics held periodically throughout the county, the main clinic is held at the following location:

For more information, please call Jerry Polansky at (619) 235-5656, ext. 113.

San Diego Performing Arts League

Contact: Julie Fry(619) 238-0700 ext 16

The Lawyers for the Arts program is an alliance of attorneys willing to donate their time and expertise on volunteer legal projects with arts organizations in San Diego County. Areas of expertise in demand are contracts, copyright, patent, trademark, leases, nonprofit incorporation, insurance, immigration, labor/employment, tax and trusts.