Working for Justice in Our Communities Since TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL REPORT 2009

Transcription

1 Working for Justice in Our Communities Since TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL REPORT 2009

2 Our mission The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is committed to promoting access to justice, strengthening communities, fighting discrimination and effecting systemic change through representation, advocacy and community education. Table of Contents 1 Leadership Message 2 Looking Back, Moving Forward 4 Significant Case Outcomes 5 80th Anniversary Symposium 6 API/Family Law/Immigration Law 8 Consumer Law 10 Housing & Eviction Defense 12 Government Benefits 14 Employment Law 16 Community Economic Development 18 Pro Bono Matters 20 Background and Priorities 21 Administration/Office Locations 22 Financials 24 Board of Directors and Administrative Leadership 25 Statement of Financial Support Law Firm Campaign 27 Donors 31 In-Kind Donations

3 Looking Back, Moving Forward: Legal Aid in Changing Times When we reflect upon our beginning at USC, we are humbled by the spirit of volunteerism and compassion that propelled a small group of attorneys and law students to seek change for those less fortunate. Our staff, board, pro bono attorneys, donors and countless volunteers share a steadfast belief that lives are changed by our work. On September 29, 2009, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) celebrated 80 years of making access to justice a reality for our most vulnerable neighbors and communities. As you can imagine, during this passage of time Los Angeles County has experienced tremendous population growth, and also gained a rich diversity in its residents. Today, nearly 2 million people qualify for our legal services. In this report, we examine how our legal work and contributions to policy changes have created stability in the lives of clients and helped empower them to plan for the success of their children and grandchildren. It is a rich legacy we are proud to leave for generations of public interest attorneys and advocates and, most of all, for the thousands of individuals who have gained access to civil legal justice. For 80 years, our mission has been a simple one: to provide clients with access to the fundamental services they are entitled to food, housing, employment, safety and security in their homes. And we decided to do this by providing the best lawyers for those who cannot afford one. While the demand for services was great, our attorneys and advocates were positioned on the frontline to respond quickly to the unfolding crisis. From January 1 to October 15, 2009, LAFLA s Consumer Law Unit responded to 800 foreclosure, homeownership fraud and predatory lending calls, and handled 321 homeownership, foreclosure and predatory lending cases. Our employment attorneys saw an increased demand for wage and hour claims and help in navigating unemployment insurance benefits. LAFLA s attorneys and advocates responded. LAFLA is the only organization to regularly provide workers rights presentations at WorkSource Centers, adult schools, vocational centers, English as a second language classes and youth organizations. We tackled nagging poverty issues such as housing, government benefits, family law and community economic development, and student loan debt through aggressive litigation, policy and legislative work, and community education and development. We litigated with legal services and pro bono partners to settle significant housing issues facing our clients. Over the years, your support has sustained us and enabled us to grow to become one of the finest and largest public interest law firms in California. Every day more than 500 phone calls are handled, and direct legal services are given annually to almost 14,000 people. Additionally, we help 55,000 individuals and families in communities become more knowledgeable about their legal rights. LAFLA attorneys have stood with our communities when it has mattered most. In the 80s, we were there when cutbacks threatened our disabled and senior citizens. In 1992, when South Los Angeles then South Central was burning due to civil unrest, LAFLA s advocates were there to ensure that the community had access to food and basic necessities for children and the elderly. And in the late 90s and early 2000, we protected abused and neglected children in the foster care system by fighting to keep them with their relatives. Our attorneys and advocates changed laws and, as a result, changed lives. For our clients, who are often in crisis and struggling to survive each and every day, the year 2009 was devastating. Financial scams were abundant, targeting the most vulnerable: seniors, the poor and those with disabilities. The elderly, who had worked hard to own their homes outright, were suddenly at risk of descending into homelessness. Sincerely, Silvia R. Argueta Executive Director Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Harriet S. Posner President, Board of Directors Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

4 Historic Timeline June 1929 The Southern California Legal Aid Clinic Association, LAFLA s predecessor, is incorporated. September 1929 The Legal Aid Clinic opens its doors at the USC Law building. September 1930 In just one year, 1,400 people apply for legal services. In addition to regular staff, the clinic recruits 72 students the entire third-year USC Law class The clinic moves to the Cotton Exchange Building in downtown Los Angeles The board adopts a new name Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) The Lawyers Wives is founded by 24 women who wanted to become involved in their husbands profession by providing a useful service to the community, and later becomes a fundraising arm of LAFLA by holding an annual Kate and Advocate Ball The Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach (LAFLB) is founded by the Long Beach Bar Association, funded by contributions from lawyers and dues received by serving as a lawyer referral and information service LAFLA merges with the Los Angeles Neighborhood Legal Services Society, which was created by the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), the agency responsible for administering most of the war on poverty programs. LAFLA reopens four neighborhood law offices closed because the OEO ceased funding their operations. The offices are in East Los Angeles, South Los Angeles (both currently in use), downtown Los Angeles and Venice. July 1971 The Family Law Center, operated by the Western Center on Law and Poverty, is acquired The National Center for Immigrants, now known as the National Immigration Law Center, is created by LAFLA and functions as a national backup center for advocates working on immigration matters The Eviction Defense Center (EDC) is instituted to process a high volume of individuals facing eviction. EDC is located today at LAFLA s Central Office LAFLA launches the Immigrants Rights Office The Union of Legal Services Workers of Los Angeles, a chapter of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320, AFL-CIO, is formed LAFLA creates Government Benefits, Employment Law (which in turn creates the Labor Defense Network) and Homeless Law Units. The Maynard Toll Award is created and named for esteemed attorney Maynard Toll, a major figure in establishing federally funded legal services. LAFLA also establishes the family law counseling center, now known as the domestic violence clinic, in the downtown Los Angeles Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse. June 1998 Asian and Pacific Islander language hotlines are launched by LAFLA in Korean, Chinese and Tagalog, but today the API Unit has expanded its language capacity to eight languages and has included Khmer, Japanese and Vietnamese. January 2001 LAFLA merges with the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach. September 2009 LAFLA celebrates 80 years of working for justice in our communities with a symposium entitled Looking Back, Moving Forward in the Town and Gown building at the University of Southern California.

5 2 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary John Saeger Bradway with various staff members.

6 Looking Back, Moving Forward Celebrating 80 Years of Legal Service From 1928 through 1937, the law students and lawyers at the clinic assisted more than 19,000 clients. The solutions to cases were often creative. One real estate case was resolved when payment was made with two goats. John Saegar Bradway established our predecessor, the Southern California Legal Aid Clinic, at USC Law School. LAFLA s predecessor, the Southern California Legal Aid Clinic Association, was established in September 1929 by John Saeger Bradway ( ), a pioneer in the field of legal and clinical legal education and a lifelong advocate for the cause of equal access to justice. He conceived of clinical legal education and was the first to bring indigent clients and law students together in an academic setting. Bradway traveled the country establishing legal aid clinics in major cities. Justin Miller, Dean of USC Law at the time, brought Bradway to USC to establish a clinic. In the clinic s first year, 72 students, the entire third-year class, participated in the work. Its goal was to secure equal justice for the poor with zeal, with fairness and without rancor. Bradway insisted on running a real law firm for poor people. This meant not just opening cases, but resolving problems efficiently and professionally. Less than a month after the clinic opened, the New York Stock Exchange crashed on October 24, 1929, leading to the Great Depression. Today s Economic Conditions Many parallels can be seen between the stock market crash in 1929 and today s economic crisis. In 1929, extreme wealth was controlled by a few: Americans with the top 1 percent of income held between 37 and 44 percent of all U.S. wealth. The Roaring 20s, the decade that led up to the crash, was a time of wealth and excess in cities. Despite cautions about the dangers of speculation, many believed that the market could sustain high price levels, such as those we experienced in The nation s fiscal and economic problems which began in September 2008 have impacted each of LAFLA s priority legal areas and have had a tremendous impact on our clients, whose everyday survival depends on low-paying jobs, welfare payments, and disability and unemployment benefits. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. poverty rate the percentage of people living in poverty hit its highest level in 11 years in 2008, as the worst recession since the Great Depression threw millions of Americans out of work. The Census Bureau reported that the poverty rate jumped from 12.5 percent in 2007 to 13.2 percent, the highest level since In 2008, 39.8 million Americans were living in poverty, up from 37.3 million in Today more than 2 million people in Los Angeles County qualify for LAFLA s services. As the state experiences budget shortfalls, we are seeing a rapid decline in the stability of our client population. Despite our best efforts, many of these individuals and families will descend into the ranks of the homeless. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

7 Resolution: As a result of advocacy by LAFLA and others, the Social Security Act was amended to include the medical improvement standard in the statute, and to require that when SSA proposed to terminate Social Security Disability Insurance benefits on the basis that an individual is no longer disabled, that full benefits be continued pending the outcome of the initial reconsideration and administrative law judge stages of appeal. Significant Case Wins 1978: Marriage of Johnston (1978) 85 Cal. App. 3d 900; 149 Cal. Rptr. 798 This was the first California court case to rule that federal law does not prevent a pension plan from being joined into a dissolution case and ordered to pay the nonemployee spouse her community property share of the employee spouse s pension. Background: Frances Johnston and Albert Johnston were married for 38 years. When Albert sued to dissolve their marriage, Frances sought assistance from the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach (LAFLB). The parties agreed to the dissolution and the division of their community property. The couple s major asset was Albert s pension as an electrical worker. They agreed that the pension was community property and that Frances was entitled to half of each payment. But Albert didn t always send Frances her share, and admitted that, if pressed in the future, he might not pay her. Resolution: LAFLB attorneys decided to add the pension plan to the dissolution case and asked the court to order the plan to pay Frances her share directly. The pension plan argued that federal pension laws prohibited the California court from making this order to pay the client. The court disagreed, and Frances won her case. 1984: Lopez v. Heckler, 725 F.2d 1489 (9th Cir. 1984) LAFLA successfully challenged the Social Security Administration s (SSA) refusal to follow Ninth Circuit precedent requiring the SSA to show medical improvement before terminating benefits on the basis that the individual is not disabled. Background: In the 1980s, the Department of Health and Human Services, then the parent agency of SSA, embarked on a major drive to reduce the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability rolls by ruling that individuals were no longer disabled. As part of the initiative, SSA adopted a formal policy of nonacquiescence and declined to follow applicable Court of Appeals precedent with which it disagreed. 1993: Mendez v Reno, CV TJH (C.D. Cal.) The settlement of this case was one of the key reasons why the Immigration and Naturalization Services, now the U.S. Citizenship and Immigation Services, improved their asylum adjudication process by challenging the perfunctory nature of asylum interviews. Background: The INS Los Angeles District Office had formed a task force to adjudicate asylum applications. The officers assigned to this duty were untrained and ignorant of applicable asylum law. The INS denied more than 30,000 asylum applications in a five-month period in so-called "interviews" that were rushed and did not provide the applicants with privacy. These interviews often took place at the INS counters facing the open lobby where anyone could easily overhear the interviews. Resolution: An injunction was granted early in the litigation and required INS to give the applicants new interviews before properly trained asylum officers. The litigation was ultimately settled, and Mendez and the settlement also provided for new asylum interviews. A nationwide lawsuit (ABC v Reno not filed by LAFLA) raising similar issues was also resolved around the same time. LAFLA's immigration attorneys worked in the Mendez case along with attorneys from the National Immigration Law Center, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Central American Resource Center. 1998: Prior to merger with LAFLA, the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach successfully negotiated the largest local hiring plan for any public works project in U.S. history. Background: Acting as counsel to the Alameda Corridor Jobs Coalition, LAFLB sought economic opportunities for low-income people in construction of the $2.2 billion Alameda Corridor rail project, the nation s largest intermodal transportation project running through some of Los Angeles County s poorest neighborhoods. LAFLB attorneys drafted a plan to incorporate local hiring preferences into the construction process, working with organized labor and a wide range of community organizations. LAFLB also met with local, state and federal officials, particularly the U.S. Department of Transportation, to address legal obstacles and implications. Resolution: A hiring plan was negotiated, which included commitments to target corridor residents for 30 percent of all construction hours worked, and the provision of job training for 1,000 individuals. The project s construction ultimately provided more than 1 million hours of high wage employment and 1,200 job training slots for corridor residents. 4 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

8 On September 29, 2009, LAFLA celebrated its 80th anniversary with a symposium at Town & Gown of the University of Southern California (USC). USC Law Dean Robert Rasmussen provided remarks. 80th Anniversary Symposium Celebrating 80 Years of Legal Service South Los Angeles Office Below, left: Executive Director Silvia Argueta; Councilwoman Jan Perry, 9th District; and Malcolm Carson, managing attorney of the South Los Angeles Office welcome community residents to new office. LAFLA s Executive Director Silvia R. Argueta, center, is surrounded by California State Bar President Howard Miller, far left, Board President Harriet Posner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, center right, and board members and "Partners in Equal Justice. Long Beach Office Below, right: LAFLA s celebrated its new and relocated Long Beach Office with a ribboncutting ceremony and open house. From left to right: Long Beach City Council Members Toni Reyes Uranga and Robert Garcia; LAFLA Clients Advisory Council Chair Karen Adelseck; and LAFLA Board members Jim McAdams of Pierry & McAdams, LLP; and Susan Anderson Wise, Esq. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

9 Mrs. Jeong with her grandchildren in their apartment. 6 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

10 Kyung Soo Jeong, an elderly korean woman, was referred to LAFLA in 2002 by one of our long-time community partners, the Center for the Pacific Asian Family, a women s shelter specializing in assisting Asian and Pacific Islanders who are survivors of domestic violence. Asian & Pacific Islander Unit/Family Law/Immigration Law Empowered Grandmother Raises Grandchildren A monolingual Korean speaker, Ms. Jeong came to the U.S. in 2001 to seek a better life. She married a U.S. citizen who repeatedly physically abused her. She endured the abuse, believing she had to remain in the marriage and protect her spouse. One day, she was severely beaten and crawled to a neighbor s house for help. Her husband was arrested and eventually convicted of domestic violence. Attorneys in our Asian & Pacific Islander Unit, who are multilingual, represented Ms. Jeong in her immigration matters and obtained lawful permanent residence through the Violence Against Women Act. Although Ms. Jeong was married to a U.S. citizen, her husband refused to help her obtain legal status. LAFLA began divorce proceedings, but Ms. Jeong learned that her husband had committed suicide. She eventually left the shelter and began living on her own. LAFLA helped the client obtain government benefits and subsidized housing, which made her feel more independent. She was finally free from the abuse and control she experienced with her abuser. Two years later, Ms. Jeong learned that her grandchildren, who lived in South Korea, needed help. Their parents had divorced and could not take care of the children. With no place to go and no one to care for them, Jenny and Daniel, then 13 and 11, came to visit their grandmother one summer. Ms. Jeong could not bear to return them to this situation. She came to LAFLA to see if it was possible for the children to remain with her in the U.S. LAFLA helped the grandchildren obtain lawful permanent residence as special immigrant juveniles, a process under federal immigration law that provides benefits to children who are abandoned, abused or neglected. LAFLA attorneys worked with Wansun Song, a pro bono attorney with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, to have Ms. Jeong formally adopt the children, which allowed them to automatically become U.S citizens. Under Ms. Jeong s care, Jenny and Daniel are now thriving and doing well. Jenny recently graduated from high school with honors and was accepted on a full scholarship to the University of California, San Diego for fall Daniel will start his sophomore year at a local high school in September. Pictured, above, Ms. Jeong attends her grand daughter s Jenny s high school graduation. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

11 Mrs. Jackson in her home of nearly 50 years. 8 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

12 Consumer Law Victim of Predatory Lending Keeps Home and Becomes Housing Advocate Virgie Bernice Jackson, a longtime resident of South Los Angeles, had been a nurse at John Wesley County Hospital in the late 40s. In 1998, at the age of 77, she came to LAFLA because she was facing foreclosure on her home of 37 years. Mrs. Jackson was typical of many senior homeowners. Her husband had handled the family finances before his death and Mrs. Jackson was unsophisticated with respect to finances and mortgages. Her home had a great deal of equity, making her an attractive target for predatory lenders. A mortgage broker solicited and qualified Mrs. Jackson for a loan of $70,000 by falsifying her loan application. In order to qualify her for the loan, the broker falsely claimed that Mrs. Jackson was a small business owner and reported income from the business to more than double her true income. Contrary to usual underwriting standards at that time, no verification of income was requested or obtained by the lender or the loan underwriters. Mrs. Jackson never saw the loan application until she was asked to sign a stack of documents that included the falsified loan application. She did not receive a copy of the application and was unaware of the false income information until LAFLA attorneys Dorothy Herrera Settlage and Joy Simmons reviewed the lender s loan file, where they discovered violations of the federal Truth in Lending and the Homeownership and Equity Protection Acts. They were able to rescind the loan and stop the foreclosure. With a reverse mortgage, Mrs. Jackson was able to keep her home, which she continues to live in and enjoy. To help educate her peers and the community, Mrs. Jackson participated in the launch of the Don t Borrow Trouble and the Los Angeles Anti-predatory Loan Ordinance community campaigns, where she sang a gospel song to the delight of everyone in attendance. Now 89 years old, Mrs. Jackson keeps in touch with her LAFLA counsel, calling virtually every holiday with a cheerful greeting and words of appreciation. Virgie Jackson, R.N. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

13 Lovie Leslie outside LAFLA s West Office. 10 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

14 My daughter is the most successful thing I ve done, says Lovie Leslie, a proud mother who came to the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach office in 1994 seeking help with an eviction. Housing & Eviction Defense Young Mother Finds Success Despite Near Eviction Her abusive boyfriend had taken a shot at her, but when the police arrived, he accused her of shooting at him instead. Her landlord immediately started the eviction process. I was so scared, she said. At that time, she met with Toby Rothschild, director of the former Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach office, which merged with LAFLA in Her daughter was seven at the time. In a recent letter to Rothschild, Lovie said, You saved me from eviction and an abusive relationship and I will be forever grateful to you. After Lovie left her abuser, her former boyfriend was convicted on a murder charge and sentenced to 25 years to life. Lovie s daughter with President of El Camino College. Today, her 23-year-old daughter is on a full journalism scholarship at El Camino College. Lovie is attending the same college and pursuing a degree in social work. She also received her notary public commission and is a notary public. Over the years, Lovie has volunteered in the community in appreciation of the services she received from LAFLA. She recently made a small donation to the foundation. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

15 Martin Calderon poses in a stairwell at Rio Hondo College. 12 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

16 Government Benefits Single Parent Realizes His Hidden Talent Martin Calderon, 47, was once gainfully employed but lost his job and his home. He and his young daughter resorted to living with friends. Every day was a struggle and Martin became severely depressed. Instead of giving up, he sought help to turn his life around and provide a better life for his daughter. With the assistance of a mental health counselor, Martin applied for CalWORKs, California s financial assistance program for families with children. Through the program he received mental health counseling. Martin enrolled at Rio Hondo College to study graphic design and find a new career. While attending college, he worked as an assistant in Rio Hondo s theatre department, initially as a work-study student and then through the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services Transitional Subsidized Employment program. Martin s goal is to enroll in Cal State Fullerton next year to continue his studies and earn a bachelor s degree. Like many single parents who are also students, Martin struggled to support his child while educating himself. In spring 2009, Martin s life was again in chaos. His cash aid, the lifeline to his survival, had been terminated. He visited a legal clinic at Rio Hondo College run by LAFLA s Government Benefits Unit (GBU) to get help with restoring his benefits. Since that initial visit, Martin has repeatedly returned to the clinic to resolve other issues with CalWORKs and GAIN, Los Angeles County s Welfare-to-Work program. With the GBU clinic s help, he was able to stabilize his income and continue with his education. Martin s 18-year-old daughter graduated from high school in spring 2010 and plans to attend Pasadena City College in the fall. Martin and his daughters are on their way to achieving their goals. Martin with his two daughters. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

17 Mrs. Su Yan in the courtyard of her apartment complex. 14 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

18 Employment Law Asylee Wins Employment Discrimination Case and Returns to Teaching Wang Su Yan, a political asylee from China, was working as a certified nurse assistant at a local employer. In 2007, her employer asked her to reverify her authorization to work in the U.S. Although she presented adequate documentation of her status, Wang was unfairly and illegally terminated. She became depressed and distraught at losing her job and at having her immigration status and documentation brought into question. Su Yang with her students in China. LAFLA s employment attorneys brought Wang s case to the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice through a charge statement, a type of initial complaint to the Office of Special Counsel for Immigrationrelated Unfair Employment Practices (OSC), and OSC began an investigation. OSC audited Wang s I-9 forms and interviewed various co-workers while LAFLA prepared a formal complaint and prepared to negotiate on Wang s behalf for a possible settlement. During this process, LAFLA also made an educational presentation to the employer to help prevent these types of problems in the future. Our attorneys were able to settle the case in early 2008 with terms favorable to our client. LAFLA s Employment Law Unit protects workers from immigrationrelated employment discrimination. Political asylees often face unique challenges with respect to employment verification because they are eligible to work based on their asylee status long before they receive a "green card" or other more traditional immigration work authorization documents. Employers may not be familiar with this eligibility, illegally requiring asylees to prove their status, possibly with an intent to discriminate. In our practice, LAFLA ensures that low-income people don t lose employment opportunities because of document abuse. Our attorneys work closely with employees, employers and the federal government to protect workers rights and encourage good practices by local employers. While the settlement helped Wang financially because she didn t have a job at the time, she describes the emotional boost of having her rights vindicated as even more important. After the case was settled, the company asked her to come back, but she declined. Instead, she enrolled in a program to return to teaching and applied for her license. She was employed as a preschool teacher until 2009, but had to resign from her position to care for a relative as a provider with In-Home Supportive Services. Her son is completing a bachelor s degree in engineering at UCLA and is a member of the Golden Key International Honors Society. He plans to enter the Masters program in electrical engineering. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

19 Community Economic Development Program Manager Vikki Paulus; Helen D. Campbell, Planning & Policy Analyst and Director Linda Kite at their new office. 16 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

20 Community Economic Development Nonprofit Collaborative Flourishes and Expands Mission With help from LAFLA s Community Economic Development Unit, the Healthy Homes Collaborative (HHC) was founded in 1994 as the lead collaborator in an association of community-based organizations committed to eliminating environmental health threats in homes and communities. In 2001, HHC broadened its mission to include other critical housing issues with health consequences. The agency received its first $22,000 grant in 2002 and hired a coordinator to engage more grassroots organizations in its advocacy efforts. HHC s exemplary work to educate policymakers about lead poisoning prevention was instrumental in the passage of SB 460 in 2002, which gave local government agencies the legal authority to require landlords to safely repair lead hazards before children are exposed to them. After passage of SB 460, HHC s local policy work culminated in the 2003 launch of the Los Angeles City Lead Poisoning Prevention Pilot Program. This is the first housing code enforcement program in California to identify and repair lead hazards in housing before children are poisoned. It s a collaboration among the City of Los Angeles Housing Department, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and HHC s member organizations, which strive to empower families to advocate for themselves. Community organizers partner with code enforcement inspectors to target high risk buildings where children are present to ensure lead hazards are repaired using lead-safe work practices. In 2005, HHC members were concerned that its organizational structure was insufficient to sustain its advocacy efforts. The agency sought the help of LAFLA s attorneys to assist in drafting and ratifying a set of new bylaws that focused on key infrastructure issues such as development protocols, membership criteria, conflict resolution and personnel policies to help guide its organizational growth and progress for years to come. HHC was formally incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Today, HHC s healthy homes work continues to flourish. In the past six years, the agency has raised more than $3.2 million for its member groups and has expanded its pilot program from six to eight community-based organizations, targeting areas with the most vulnerable and at-risk tenants. HHC recently moved to a beautiful new 3,800 square-foot office space in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles and now has a staff of five and an annual budget of nearly $500,000. Lincoln Heights is considered the oldest neighborhood in Los Angeles, dating to the 1830s. The new HHC facility, located at the corner of Pasadena Avenue and 26th Street, was once a Ralphs market in the 1920s. HHC is currently undertaking an urban integrated pest management effort to review, develop and implement new policies in collaboration with Californians for Pesticide Reform and national organizations, such as the National Center for Healthy Housing. In Los Angeles, the agency is leveraging its relationships with the Pilot Program Partnership and other government agencies to expedite the launch of local programs and work on model codes and policy. Working locally, HHC moves collaboratively to inform and influence Statewide and National efforts; as both conveners and participants. The original Ralphs Market in the 1920s. 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

21 Pro Bono Leadership Helps Close Service Gap in Difficult Times Jill Martin and Eric Von Zeipel of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, the newest pro bono firm to join the Skid Row Clinic. For the past eight decades, volunteerism has been a rich tradition at LAFLA, helping to close the service gap by augmenting our legal assistance and representation to our most disadvantaged communities. In 1929, the entire third-year class of USC Law students were our first volunteers. In 1952, the Lawyers Wives recruited 11 women to work 15 days each month in our legal aid office. Today, LAFLA s volunteers are not only law students, but a diverse group of individuals, including law firms, solo practitioners, law fellows, paralegals and community volunteers. In 2009, more than 700 volunteers provided nearly 43,000 hours at a calculated value of more than $8 million. We are grateful to these law firms and individuals who stepped up to close the gap by demonstrating their commitment to both our client community and our mission. Skid Row Clinic in Downtown Los Angeles In 2004, LAFLA worked in consort with downtown law firms and the Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN) to expand the LA CAN Legal Clinic. The clinic is a joint venture among LAFLA, the Public Counsel Law Center, solo practitioners and Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., Jones Day, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, O Melveny & Meyers LLP, Paul Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Sidley Austin LLP and Bingham McCutchen LLP. These partners provide pro bono legal services not only to homeless individuals and families, but also to those at risk for homelessness, residents with disabilities and other individuals with extremely low-income individuals who reside in the area. Legal assistance is provided in the areas of housing, eviction defense, veterans benefits and other services. Each year, more than 1,000 residents are assisted. Expansion of Bill Smith Homeless Veterans Project One third of Los Angeles homeless individuals are veterans. LAFLA created the Bill Smith Homeless Veterans Project (BSHVP) 10 years ago to offer comprehensive legal services to low-income veterans who are unable to navigate the complex Veterans Affairs (VA) system. Legal support includes extensive investigation, detailed counsel and advice, and direct representation at all stages of the claims process. The increase in returning veterans has prompted LAFLA to expand the project and to engage pro bono partners. LAFLA Government Benefits Attorney Nicole Perez and Pro Bono Director Tai Glenn joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP to expand services provided at a Veterans Rights Clinic in a homeless shelter at the VA West Los Angeles Healthcare Center that assists approximately 50 veterans each month. Furthermore, in 2009, LAFLA partnered with Loyola Law School to offer a Veterans Benefits Practicum for students. Perez teaches and supervises the practicum in which students prepare actual claims for their clients. Students also participate in an externship throughout the school year to provide ongoing support for veterans. The pro bono assistance of Manatt and Loyola students has enabled LAFLA to intake and investigate a greater number of cases for in-house and pro bono representation. Immigration attorney Daliah Setareh presents the 2009 Pro Bono Service to Alan B. Clark of Latham & Watkins LLP at the Access to Justice Dinner. Pro Bono Honor Roll Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP+ Fulbright & Jaworski Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP* Hunton & Williams Jones Day Kirkland & Ellis LLP Latham & Watkins LLP*+ McDermott Will & Emery LLP Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP* Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP* O Melveny & Myers LLP Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP+ Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP+ Seyfarth Shaw LLP Sidley Austin LLP Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP *Firms that provided 1500 hours or more in Firms that provided one or more full-time deferred associates in LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

22 Fast Facts and Figures Hours of Service Provided in 2009 Housing & Eviction Defense 31,304 Immigration 24,731 Government Benefits 23,512 Family 21,582 Consumer 15,774 Community Economic Development 14,761 Employment 8, ,886 TOTAL HOURS OF SERVICE LAFLA Client Demographics Hispanic 33.5% African-American 28% Caucasian 12.4% Asian and Pacific Islander 10% Other 15.5% American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5% LAFLA Service Area Poverty Levels More than 200% of the federal poverty level 8% Below 125% of the federal poverty level 78% Between 125% and 200% of the federal poverty level 14% Year 2009 in Review Organizational Background and Priorities Administration and Office Locations Financials Board of Directors Statement of Financial Support Partners in Equal Justice 2009 Law Firm Campaign Donor Roster 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

23 Organizational Background and Priorities As the frontline law firm and safe harbor for poor and low-income individuals throughout Los Angeles County for 80 years, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) employs a diverse team of 154 attorneys, paralegals and support staff who provide critical legal services and advice at six offices situated in neighborhoods accessible to individuals and families most in need of assistance. Our offices are located in the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles, Pico Union, South Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach and the Crenshaw/Koreatown areas. To further expand its reach within the vast Los Angeles metropolis, LAFLA also has established Self Help Legal Access Centers at local courthouses in Inglewood, Long Beach, Torrance and Santa Monica. These walk-in clinics provide self-represented individuals with legal information and assistance in preparing legal forms on a variety of civil matters, including evictions, family law and civil harassment. Recognizing that legal representation alone has little effect on underlying public policy changes, LAFLA undertakes advocacy and policy efforts to permanently change laws in local, state and national programs that impact disadvantaged individuals and their families. To succeed in this endeavor, LAFLA works collaboratively with many legal aid partners, judiciary and academic organizations, government agencies and state and national organizations, and nonprofit organizations to identify and target legislation that adversely affects disenfranchised communities. Priority Legal Services The economic crisis that struck in 2008 has pushed more individuals and families to the brink of poverty and homelessness, especially those who lost their jobs. LAFLA s demand for free legal services, especially in the areas of foreclosure prevention, eviction defense and government benefits, has grown exponentially. The crisis has affected all of LAFLA s priority areas: Housing & Eviction Defense, Consumer Law, Community Economic Development, Employment Law, Government Benefits, Family Law, Immigration Law, and outreach to the Asian & Pacific Islander communities. Housing & Eviction Defense At a time when many large cities are developing their urban and downtown communities, low-income residents, many of whom are on fixed incomes, are being forced out. Our Housing and Eviction Defense attorneys work every day to create, preserve and improve decent affordable housing through a combination of direct services and impact work. We also utilize pro bono partnerships and community lawyering strategies to maximize the impact of our legal services. Consumer Law The foreclosure and housing crisis has devastated poor communities and uprooted families. Many of these neighborhoods were targeted for subprime and risky loans, leaving the already vulnerable confused and with little guidance. Our attorneys, who specialize in consumer law, work on behalf of these individuals who are without the means to defend themselves against risky home loans, unfair sales and debt collection practices by banks, car dealers, creditors and vocational schools. Our attorneys supplement direct services with ongoing community education about predatory lending schemes that target elderly and vulnerable individuals to prevent foreclosure of their homes. LAFLA also has convened the Advocates for Consumer Justice Foreclosure Response Team, a coalition of public interest lawyers and housing counselors to better address the subprime mortgage crisis. Community Economic Development Our attorneys who specialize in community economic development issues seek to attack poverty at its roots and build clean, safe and economically vibrant communities by helping to develop sorely needed jobs, affordable housing units, child care spaces, youth services and other social programs in disadvantaged neighborhoods. LAFLA also assists in developing, training and empowering community-based organizations and low-income individuals to become actively involved in the revitalization process. Employment Law LAFLA s Employment Law attorneys promote the rights of working people to a fair day s pay for a fair day s labor, free from discrimination and harassment, and assist low-wage workers with a range of workplace issues, including payment of wages, meal and rest breaks, access to unemployment benefits, and conditions of health and safety. Through community education, advocacy, self-help assistance and community collaboration, LAFLA strives to empower low-wage workers to fight for their rights in the workplace. Government Benefits LAFLA s Government Benefits attorneys and legal advocates help children, families, seniors and people with disabilities maintain their safety net. LAFLA is there at a critical time to help clients deal with the Social Security Administration regarding Supplemental Security Income, Social Security disability, Social Security retirement and Medicare. LAFLA advocates also negotiate resolutions for clients with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services regarding CalWORKs, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal, General Relief and In-Home Supportive Services. LAFLA s Bill Smith Homeless Veterans Project also helps vulnerable veterans get the aid they need from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Family Law Our Family Law attorneys seek to help survivors of intimate partner violence obtain protection for themselves and their children in a variety of ways. Each week, LAFLA operates walk-in domestic violence clinics at the Los Angeles Superior Court and the courts in Long Beach and Santa Monica. Our attorneys also work collaboratively with many community organizations and public agencies, such as the Los Angeles Superior Court, the Child Abduction Section of the Los Angeles District Attorney s Office, the Child Support Services Department of Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, the Los Angeles City Attorney s Office and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. Immigration Law LAFLA s Immigration Law attorneys provide U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees and asylum seekers with assistance in family reunification matters, and help battered immigrant women flee from domestic violence by seeking legal residency under the Violence Against Women Act. Our legal assistance to the Trafficking Victims Project provides representation to men, women and children brought to the U.S. as modern day slaves, who are forced to work in the sex trade, sweatshops, fields and even private homes for meager or nonexistent pay. Our Torture Survivors Project conducts outreach in key ethnic communities, where there are large populations of asylees and refugees who have come to the U.S. from countries where torture is commonly committed, and provides legal services that are critical to stabilizing their lives and fully integrating them into U.S. society. 20 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

24 Legal Aid Offices Percentage of households below poverty level: Less than 10% 10% - 20% 20% - 35% More than 35% Courthouse and Neighborhood Legal Access Centers Toll Family Law Counseling Center and Domestic Violence Clinics For greater community outreach and accessibility to local residents, LAFLA has established family law/domestic violence clinics at the downtown Los Angeles Superior Court Stanley Mosk Courthouse and in the Long Beach and Santa Monica Courthouses. Family Law attorneys provide assistance and advice to financially eligible, low-income people on issues of domestic violence, child abduction and other emergencies involving child custody and visitation. Self Help Legal Access Centers LAFLA operates four courthouse Self Help Legal Access Centers in Inglewood, Long Beach, Santa Monica and Torrance. The centers are walk-in clinics that offer individuals representing themselves legal information, assistance in preparing legal forms, guidance on a variety of civil matters, including evictions, divorces and paternity actions, and civil harassment. Referrals to private attorneys or legal services programs are provided as needed. The centers are part of a creative public outreach project between LAFLA, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs and the Los Angeles Superior Court. In 2009, LAFLA s Self Help Legal Access Centers assisted more than 21,000 individuals. 4 Administration and Client Office Locations 1 Administration 1102 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA (323) West Office 1102 Crenshaw Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA (323) Central Office 1550 W. 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA (213) East Los Angeles Office 5228 Whittier Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA (213) Long Beach Office 601 Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, CA (562) Santa Monica Office th Street, Suite 124, Santa Monica, CA (310) South Los Angeles Office 7000 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA (213) th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

25 Statement of Financial Position The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is a California nonprofit corporation Year ended December 31, 2009 ASSETS Cash Clients trust deposits Grants receivables Pledges receivables Other receivables Prepaid expenses and deposits Investments Land held for investments Property and equipment $ 500,033 84,417 1,210, ,588 19, ,111 5,917,796 10,000 5,815, $ 820,456 56, , ,308 22,242 70,731 5,091,652 10,000 3,882,433 Total assets LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities: Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Clients trust deposits Accrued unemployment liability Deferred revenue Line of credit Total liabilities Net assets: Unrestricted Unrestricted board designed Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted Total net assets $13,791,929 $ 400,444 1,799,980 84, , ,521 3,716,164 $ 6,429,235 5,484,946 1,807,013 62,078 8,657 $ 7,362,694 $10,904,591 $ 287,895 1,270,743 56, , ,784 2,063,738 $ 4,371,078 4,655,765 1,807,013 62,078 8,657 $ 6,533,513 Total liabilities and net assets $13,791,929 $10,904, LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary

26 Statement of Activities The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is a California nonprofit corporation Year ended December 31, 2009 REVENUE AND SUPPORT Government contracts Donated services Grants and contributions Special events (net of expenses of $315,898) Interest income Miscellaneous income Clinical support Deferred gain on sale of building Gain on investments Attorney fees Net assets released from program restrictions $ 11,876,039 8,005,425 3,740, ,241 80,704 50, ,773-18, $ 10,829,158 4,912,176 3,049, , ,244 29, ,047 11,444 29, Total revenue and support $ 24,451,549 $ 19,815,156 EXPENSES Program services Support services $ 20,348,074 3,274,294 $ 17,246,823 3,058,020 Total expenses $ 23,622,368 $ 20,304,843 CHANGES IN NET ASSETS 829,181 (489,687) NET ASSETS, BEGINNING OF YEAR 6,533,513 7,023,200 NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $ 7,362,694 $ 6,533,513 80th Anniversary LAFLA Annual Report

27 Board of Directors Officers Harriet S. Posner, President Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates Neil B. Martin, Vice President City National Bank Paul B. Salvaty, Secretary O Melveny & Myers LLP Martin T. Tachiki,Treasurer Santa Monica City Attorney s Office Karen J. Adelseck, Client Chair Long Beach/Harbor Area Clients Advisory Council Long Beach Senior Latino Club Cornell Trotter, Client Vice Chair Centro Shalom Board Members Chris M. Amantea Hunton & Williams LLP Alexander Auerbach Alexander Auerbach & Co., Inc. Terry B. Bates Reed Smith LLP Gary Blasi UCLA School of Law Elliot Brown Irell & Manella LLP Allan Browne Browne Woods George LLP Christina Burford, Client Member, Long Beach Clients Advisory Council Carl L. Busch Northrop Grumman Corporation Integrated Systems Robert S. Chapman Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP Alan B. Clark Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory LLP Jon Dean McDermott Will & Emery LLP Kevin Dorse Theodora Oringher Miller & Richman PC D. Barclay Edmundson Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Stephen R. English English, Munger & Rice Debra L. Fischer Bingham McCutchen LLP James P. Fogelman Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Mamie C. Henry, Client Member, South Los Angeles Client Council LA Voice - PICO Helen Hinkson, Client Member, Disability Rights California Dwayne Hollis, Client Member, Los Angeles Community Action Network James E. Hornstein Moldex-Metric Inc. Martha Ofelia Jimenez, Client Member, East Los Angeles Clients Advisory Council Hattie Johnson, Client Member, Long Beach Clients Advisory Council Victoria M. Lopez, Client Member, Central American Resource Center/CARECEN James M. McAdams Pierry & McAdams, LLP Lillian Mobley, Client Member, South Los Angeles Clients Advisory Council Jang Woo Nam, Client Member, Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA) Mary H. Neale Green Coast Capital Partners Maria K. Nelson Jones Day R. Alexander Pilmer Kirkland & Ellis LLP Glenn D. Pomerantz Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP Kent R. Raygor Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP Marc M. Seltzer Susman Godfrey LLP Geoffrey L. Thomas Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP Maria I. Torres, Client Member, Inquilinos Unidos Mary Trotter, Client Member, South Los Angeles Clients Advisory Council Ronald B. Turovsky Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP Rita L. Tuzon Fox Cable Networks John C. Ulin Arnold & Porter LLP Patricia Vining, Client Member SEIU Local #339, Watts Gang Task Force Angela Watson, Client Member, South Los Angeles Clients Advisory Council First A.M.E. Church Susan E. Anderson Wise Attorney at Law Ronald E. Wood Proskauer Rose LLP Administrative Leadership Silvia R. Argueta Executive Director A. Christian Abasto Managing Attorney, Central Office Yolanda Arias Managing Attorney, East Los Angeles Office Karla Barrow Managing Attorney, Santa Monica Office D. Malcolm Carson Managing Attorney, South Los Angeles Office Elinor Gilbert Director, Communications Tai Glenn Director, Pro Bono Services Joann Lee Directing Attorney, Asian & Pacific Islander Services Lucci Moreira Director, Technical Services Michael Ortiz Directing Attorney, Immigration Law Linda Quintana Director, Fiscal Management Dennis Rockaway Director, Advocacy & Training Susan Rosenberg Director, Finance & Operations Toby Rothschild General Counsel Kathleen Sheldon Director, Development Ana Storey Managing Attorney, West Office Diane Talamantez Director, Administration & Human Resources 24 LAFLA Annual Report th Anniversary