Legal Representation

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 a Homeless Veterans Project and technical assistance for other advocates and service providers. Services are provided at the agency's Community Offices, Domestic Violence Clinics and Self Help Legal Access Center locations. 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, housing and homelessness, immigration 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.

Self Help Access Centers provide self-represented litigants in areas of family law, paternity, housing and evictions, restraining orders, name changes, and records expungement.

The agency also provides legal services to nonprofit agencies and organizations that work to increase economic, educational, and wellness opportunities for low-income residents.