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COVID-19 Legal Assistance

L.A. Represents, led by the City Attorney's Office and the Mayor's Office, is an unprecedented legal assistance initiative to help thousands of Angelenos who are facing extreme hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a coalition of law firms, bar associations and attorneys who will enhance their existing pro bono commitments to legal aid organizations to provide COVID-19-related legal services, including helping vulnerable tenants, domestic violence victims and low income individuals with employment, consumer debt, and bankruptcy matters.


I need a lawyer to help me with my landlord:

Stay Housed L.A.
A collaboration between the City of Los Angeles, community organizations, legal service providers, and L.A. County to provide renters with information about their rights as tenants and landlords with information about their responsibilities under the law. Stay Housed L.A. also offers free clinics and legal assistance to tenants to help prevent evictions and keep people in their homes.

Inner City Law Center (Downtown / Metro)
E-mail evictions@innercitylaw.org to receive a response within two business days. If you do not have email, call (213) 891-2880 and dial 0 to leave a voice message.

Public Counsel
(Downtown, Compton, Long Beach): Call (213) 385-2977, ext. 100 and leave a message with your name, number, and the legal issue you are trying to resolve. If you have received a complaint without a summons, call the Shriver Self-Help Center at (818) 485-0576 or email ShriverSHpublic@nlsla.org.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
(Downtown, South LA, Inglewood): Call (800) 399-4529 Monday through Friday (9 a.m. to 12 p.m; or 1 to 4:30 p.m. for intake and advice); or apply online.

Bet Tzedek
(Santa Monica, Westside, Mid-City): Call the intake line at (323) 939-0506 or email intake@bettzedek.org.

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Call (800) 433-6251, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Leave a message and an advocate will reply promptly.

Community Legal Aid SoCal
(Southeast Los Angeles): Call the Hotline number 800-834-5001, Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles:
For assistance in English: (888) 349-9695; 中文: (800) 520-2356; 한글: (800) 867-3640; Tagalog: (855) 300-2552; ภาษาไทย: (800) 914-9583; Tiếng Việt: (714) 477-2958.


I need a lawyer to help me with my safety:

If you are experiencing an emergency threat, call 9-1-1.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Courthouse-based domestic violence clinics (Downtown LA, Long Beach, Santa Monica) are providing assistance with restraining orders on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–3 p.m. Call (800) 399-4529 ext. 8097 for help.

Los Angeles County Bar Association
Call (213) 624-3665 or email dvp@lacba.org.

Bet Tzedek
For assistance with completing and filing Elder Abuse Restraining Order applications and responses, email eaclinic@bettzedek.org or call (323) 648-4730. For other help with Elder Abuse and Elder Fraud issues, call (323) 939-0506.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles
For assistance in English: (888) 349-9695; 中文: (800) 520-2356; 한글: (800) 867-3640; Tagalog: (855) 300-2552; ภาษาไทย: (800) 914-9583; Tiếng Việt: 714.477.2958. If you are an Asian victim of hate, review their Anti-Asian Discrimination information.

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
For restraining orders, divorce and custody, call (800) 433-6251, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Leave a message and an advocate will reply promptly.

Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
If you think you need a restraining order the same day, you should call the police 911 and say you are in danger and need an Emergency Restraining Order (EPO) or go the Los Angeles County Superior Court website and or call the Court at (213) 830-0845 during weekdays. For all other domestic violence questions and problems, call them at (213) 388-7515 and leave a safe number for them to call you back. You can say it is about domestic violence. If you receive CalWORKs you should them know that too.

Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice
Provides family law and immigration law representation for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Call (323) 980-3500 or email services@LACLJ.org or apply online at www.laclj.org/contact/services-request. Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Community Legal Aid SoCal
For assistance with domestic violence restraining orders and elder abuse, call the Hotline number (800) 834-5001, Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Or email DVComptonmail@clsocal.org or DVWhittierMail@clsocal.org.


I need a lawyer to help me with my employment:

Bet Tzedek Employment Rights
Bet Tzedek Employment Rights Project Workers’ Rights Virtual (Telephonic) Clinic every Wednesday night. Leave a voicemail at (323) 648-4767 to request an appointment. Advanced registration required and does not guarantee that we can represent you in your matter.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
For assistance with unemployment insurance applications and appeals, call (800) 433-6251, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Leave a message and an advocate will reply promptly.

Community Legal Aid SoCal
For assistance with unemployment benefits, call the Hotline number 800-834-5001, Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles
For assistance in English: (888) 349-9695; 中文: (800) 520-2356; 한글: (800) 867-3640; Tagalog: (855) 300-2552; ภาษาไทย: (800) 914-9583; Tiếng Việt: 714.477.2958. If you are an Asian victim of hate, review their Anti-Asian Discrimination information.


I need a lawyer to help me with my debt:

Public Counsel
For individual bankruptcy or other consumer debt issues, click here. If you are not able to fill out the online application, leave a message at (213) 385-2977 ext. 700.

Bet Tzedek
For Elder Fraud issues, email eaclinic@bettzedek.org or call (323) 648-4730.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
For Student Loan Issues, call (800) 399-4529.

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
For individual bankruptcy call 818-485-0571, for help with medical debt call (800) 896-3202 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Leave a message and an advocate will reply promptly.

Community Legal Aid SoCal
Call the Hotline number 800-834-5001, Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
For help with rent or utilities, search CFPB for rental assistance programs in your area.


I have other legal questions

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
Call (800) 399-4529 Monday through Friday (9 a.m.–12 p.m; or 1–4:30 p.m. for intake only); or apply online 24/7.

Bet Tzedek Legal Services
Call (323) 939-0506 or email intake@bettzedek.org.

Public Counsel
Call (213) 385-2977.

Inner City Law Center
Call (213) 891-2880 and dial 0 to leave a voice message.

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
Call their hotlines Monday through Friday between 9:00 am to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. General Help Line: (800) 433-6251. Health Help Line: (800) 896-3202. Leave a message and an advocate will reply promptly.

Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
If you need help with custody, divorce, parentage, property division (pensions, houses), and support you can call us at 213-388-7515 and leave a message. If you receive CalWORKs you should let us know. You can also get help on the Court’s website at and you can call them at 213-830-0845 during weekdays. It is recommended to check the Court website first.

Community Legal Aid SoCal
Call the Hotline number 800-834-5001, Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles
For assistance in English: (888) 349-9695; 中文: (800) 520-2356; 한글: (800) 867-3640; Tagalog: (855) 300-2552; ภาษาไทย: (800) 914-9583; Tiếng Việt: 714.477.2958. Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles provides legal services regarding immigration, naturalization/citizenship, and family law.

I am a lawyer who wants to help

The following legal aid organizations are recruiting volunteer lawyers to assist in landlord/tenant actions:

Bet Tzedek
Bet Tzedek is recruiting volunteers to assist with with representing low-income renters in unlawful detainer matters and other landlord-tenant/housing matters. Prior housing experience is not required. Contact: Cristin Zeisler at CZeisler@bettzedek.org.

Community Legal Aid of Southern California
CLA/SoCal holds unlawful detainer answer clinics every Tuesday with volunteer shifts throughout the day.  Pro bono volunteers assist low-income tenants by helping to prepare answers to unlawful detainer complaints in this remote clinic setting. Expert staff lawyers provide real-time assistance. The time commitment is approximately three hours, unless a volunteer chooses to represent the client in further proceedings.
Contact: Monica Mar at mmar@clsocal.org.


Inner City Law Center
Inner City Law Center is focused on actual representation at trial of low-income clients facing eviction. ICLC is also looking for volunteers to handle affirmative litigation involving slum condition housing remediation. Further, the organization offers volunteers the chance to help clients experiencing homelessness with expungements, clearing citations, as well as research projects. Contact: Vidhya Ragunathan at VRagunathan@innercitylaw.org.

Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
LAFLA hosts weekly remote eviction answer clinics on Fridays from 3:30 – 6:00 p.m. Volunteer attorneys interview clients, review evidence, and prepare pro se unlawful detainer (eviction) answers under the guidance of a LAFLA supervisor. Free online on-demand trainings are available at pbtraining.org. Contact: probono@lafla.org for clinics and Phong Wong at pwong@lafla.org regarding full-scope eviction defense opportunities.

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles
NLSLA holds advice-and-counsel housing clinics on Wednesdays twice per month, from 3:00-5:00 pm. Contact: Skip Koenig at SkipKoenig@nlsla.org.

Public Counsel
Public Counsel is focused on providing full scope representation to tenants facing eviction upon the expiration of the moratorium. Contact: David Daniels at ddaniels@publiccounsel.org.

Public Law Center
PLC operates weekly remote self-help clinics, helping tenants with answers and motions. The organization is looking for volunteer law firms to handle affirmative housing discrimination and habitability cases, full-scope eviction defense cases. In addition, PLC will need volunteers to handle back-rent debt assistance matters in clinics and by full-scope representation. Contact: Leigh Ferrin at lferrin@publiclawcenter.org.

The following organizations are also recruiting volunteer lawyers to offer other COVID-19 related legal services including employment, consumer debt, domestic violence, and bankruptcy matters:

 

 

Thank You to Our Partners

Thank You to These Organizations

Thank You to These Institutions

Ackerman LLP

Arab American Lawyers Association of Southern California

UCLA School of Law

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Armenian Bar Association

USC Gould School of Law

Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP

Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles

Loyola Law School

Alston & Bird LLP

Beverly Hills Bar Association

Southwestern Law School

Arent Fox LLP

Beverly Hills Bar Foundation

Pepperdine Caruso School of Law

Baker Marquart LLP

Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

UC Irvine School of Law

Barnes & Thornburg

Irish American Bar Association-Los Angeles

Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law

Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow PC

John M. Langston Bar Association of Los Angeles

 

Blank Rome LLP

LGBT Bar Association of Los Angeles

 

Brutzkus Gubner

Los Angeles County Bar Association

 

Cooley LLP

Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles County

 

Covington & Burling LLP

Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association

 

Cozen O’Connor P.C.

Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

 

Crowell & Moring LLP

LA Law Library

 

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

 

 

Dechert LLP

 

 

DLA Piper

 

 

Duane Morris LLP

 

 

Fenton Law Group

 

 

Fenwick & West LLP

 

 

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

 

 

Goodwin Procter LLP

 

 

Greenberg Glusker

 

 

Greenberg Traurig

 

 

Guggenheim Partners, LLC

 

 

Hanson Bridgett

 

 

Hogan Lovells

 

 

Holland & Knight

 

 

Hunton Williams

 

 

Irell & Manella LLP

 

 

Jackson Lewis P.C.

 

 

Jenner & Block

 

 

Jones Day

 

 

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

 

 

King & Spalding LLP

 

 

Kirkland & Ellis LLP

 

 

Larson LLP

 

 

Latham & Watkins LLP

 

 

Law Offices of Lawrence S. Middleton

 

 

LimNexus LLP

 

 

Loeb & Loeb LLP

 

 

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

 

 

Margolin & Lawrence

 

 

Mayer Brown LLP

 

 

McDermott Will & Emery LLP

 

 

McGuireWoods LLP

 

 

Milbank LLP

 

 

Miller Barondess, LLP

 

 

Michelman & Robinson, LLP

 

 

Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

 

 

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

 

 

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP

 

 

Nixon Peabody LLP

 

 

Norton Rose Fulbright

 

 

O’Melveny & Myers LLP

 

 

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

 

 

Paul Hastings LLP

 

 

Perkins Coie LLP

 

 

Polsinelli

 

 

Proskauer Rose LLP

 

 

Robins Kaplan LLP

 

 

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

 

 

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

 

 

Sidley Austin LLP

 

 

Southern California Edison

 

 

Squire Patton Boggs

 

 

Steptoe & Johnson LLP

 

 

Vedder Price

 

 

Venable LLP

 

 

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

 

 

Winston & Strawn LLP