Legal Counseling

Legal Counseling ( Student Financial Aid Issues )

Provider: LEGAL AID FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES - LONG BEACH OFFICE

The agency provides legal services for low-income people, including veterans, who live in metropolitan Los Angeles and other areas of Los Angeles county, excluding the San Fernando Valley. Services include advocacy, community awareness and education, dispute resolution, forms assistance, and legal counseling and representation. The program also provides the Maynard Toll Family Law Counseling Center, (see information below) and the Homeless Veterans Project and technical assistance for other advocates and service providers. Geographic and income restrictions apply for most services.

Assistance is provided in the areas of government benefits, consumer law, certificates/forms assistance, student loans, family law and victims of crime assistance. The agency's individual rights office assists people to seal arrest records and to have records expunged. It also helps victims of crime for compensation.

The Bill Smith Homeless Veterans Project, based at the East Los Angeles LAFLA site, provides individual advocacy and legal representation for homeless mentally ill veterans to receive their VA benefits. Services for Veterans are also provided at the Long Beach Office, the Maynard Toll site, and the Santa Monica Office site.

The agency also provides legal services to community organizations that have community economic development and protection of low and moderate income housing as priorities.

THE MAYNARD TOLL FAMILY LAW COUNSELING CENTER The center provides legal advice and counseling about family law issues including divorce, custody, paternity, and child support for low-income individuals not currently represented by an attorney. Divorce assistance is provided for battered women with minor children only. It also assists people who have a pending family law matter obtain a TRO. Priority is given to clients receiving CalWORKs.

Staff assist with court forms, and provide self-help materials and referrals for additional services. Staff do not provide general domestic violence TRO assistance, cannot file court papers, and do not represent clients in court. These services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis at the Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse by volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and students under the direction of a staff attorney.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE Call to apply for service; people who request legal counseling and representation are screened for geographic, income, and type of case eligibility.

For veterans the recommended way to file a claim is electronically, to do so the claimant must go to ebenefits.va.gov. It is also recommended that they appoint an accredited Veterans Service Officer to assist them in gathering the evidence to support their claim. To file by paper, the claimant must fill out a VA Form 21-526EZ and visit the local regional office. At the regional office, the claimant can appoint an accredited Veterans Service Officer. Claimants can call 1-800-827-1000 for further assistance.

For recorded tenants' rights information, call the designated numbers.

Walk in for services at the Maynard Toll Family Law Counseling Center. Services are provided on a first-come, first-served basis and clients are recommended to arrive by 8:00am. On busy days not all clients may be helped.

FEES/PAYMENT SOURCE There are no fees for most services.
Languages
All Languages Through Interpreter
Spanish
Service Condition Fee

Free

Free

Address

601 Pacific Ave.

Long Beach , CA 90802 (Physical)

Get directions

Website

www.lafla.org
Service hours
Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 12:00pm; 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Service/Intake

(562) 435-3501 (800) 399-4529 (All Intake) (323) 801-7987 (Korean) (323) 801-7912 (Cantonese/Mandarin) (323) 801-7923 (Vietnamese) (323) 801-7913 (Japanese) (562) 304-2535 (Cambodian)

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