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.
Public Interest Law Program: Inspiring the Next Generation of Lawyers
PIC's Public Interest Law Program (PILP) fosters the spirit of giving back to the community in the next generation of law students through a variety of programs:
- At University of San Francisco School of Law (USF), University of California, Hastings School of Law (Hastings), and University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law (McGeorge), we offer a Pro Bono Project to law students. The Project matches law students with a range of pro bono projects at legal aid, court and other community-based programs. Through this project, we build a nexus between legal aid and the next generation of lawyers; provide legal aid, court and other organizations with law student volunteers; and, impart law students with practical experience that sharpens legal skills and builds resumes. Additionally, at USF and Hastings, we offer career counseling and a Certificate Program in public interest. At New College of California School of Law ( New College) we offer panels and career counseling without a Certificate.
- Every February, PIC orchestrates Public Interest/Public Sector Day (PI/PS Day), the largest law career fair west of the Mississippi, in collaboration with nine bay area law schools -- UC Berkeley School of Law, UC Davis School of Law, Hastings, Golden Gate University School of Law, New College, USF, Santa Clara University School of Law, Stanford Law School, and McGeorge. Last year , over 600 law students participated in PI/PS Day, meeting and interviewing with over 100 public interest and public sector legal organizations.
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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