Programs
LAAC
The Legal Aid Association of California [“LAAC,” a separate 501(c)(3) that is fully staffed by PIC] is a membership organization that serves the legal aid community through advocacy, coordination, and trainings.
- LAAC regularly hosts Family Law Conferences in partnership with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and the triennial 3-day Pathways to Justice Conference in partnership with the State Bar of California. Additionally, every year LAAC takes multi-subject Support Center traveling trainings out to at least two rural communities.
- LAAC manages CALegalAdvocates.org and its companion ProBono.Net/CA website, where advocates and pro bono attorneys can share information and post cases.
- LAAC is the voice of legal services, informing the Legal Services Trust Fund Commission on policy issues impacting fund recipients, and advocating at both the court and legislative level on issues of concern to the legal aid community.
- Through support of its member Sections, LAAC ensures that there are vehicles in place for communication between advocates facing similar issues. Current LAAC sections are the Directors of Litigations and Advocacy; Support Centers; Organizations working with Seniors; LSC-funded Project Directors; and Law Students.
State Planning and Coordination within the Broader Legal Community
The Public Interest Clearinghouse is unique in that we do not serve individual clients; we do focus on the needs of the entire network of service providers. PIC anticipates and constructs long range changes that can truly improve access to legal services for clients. Our centralized role enables us to strengthen the legal community’s ability to reach as many people in need as effectively as possible. PIC is uniquely positioned to help shrink the "justice gap" by cultivating collaborations to maximize the use of available resources, avoid duplication of effort, and respond proactively to emerging issues. It is our mission to build the legal community's capacity to open doors to justice for all.
Law Student Pro Bono Project
Students at University of San Francisco School of Law (USF) and University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law can visit www.lawstudentprobono.org to access Pro Bono opportunities online
Effective Use of Technology
The CalJustice Technology Project was established to increase access to justice by helping providers capitalize on existing and emerging technologies.
- Project staff build and maintain LawHelpCalifornia.org, which provides information and resources for clients and advocates seeking referral and/or basic rights information with detailed referral to over 500 legal aid, court-based and legal referral services and over 700 documents on nearly every major civil matter California. A growing number of materials are available in languages other than English.
- The CalJustice Advisory Committee meets quarterly to compare notes on technology developments statewide in order to develop the most promising technologies for the effective delivery of legal services.
- PIC negotiates and manages software discount programs for legal research and other software (Westlaw, Essential Forms, Conference Depot), thus leveraging the bulk purchasing power of multiple organizations.
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