Services

Public Counsel provides a wide variety of legal services to low-income individuals, nonprofits and small businesses.  For more information about the types of matters for which Public Counsel can provide assistance, please click on the relevant links below, or call (213) 385-2977.

Hablamos Español

Si usted se siente más cómodo hablando Español, Public Counsel tiene personas bilingües que le pueden asistir.  Llame al (213) 385-2977.

If You Need Legal Services

Public Counsel provides assistance in the following areas.  Click on links for more information.

 

Appellate Law

Children's Legal Issues

  • Adoption of Foster Youth
  • Children with Developmental Disabilities
  • Education
  • Foster Youth Benefits and Legal Issues
  • Guardianship
  • Immigration for Abandoned Children (SIJS)
  • Pregnant & Parenting Minors
  • Regional Center Advocacy
  • Truancy, Tickets and Delinquency Issues

Consumer and Debtor Issues

Federal Court Cases

Government Benefits

  • CalWORKS
  • CalFresh (Food Stamps)
  • Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
  • General Relief
  • Healthy Way LA
  • Medi-Cal
  • Social Security
  • Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • VA (Veterans) Benefits

Homelessness Prevention

 

Immigration

  • Abused or Battered and Need Immigration Assistance
  • Asylum
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
  • Immigration for Abandoned, Neglected or Abused Children (SIJS)
  • Immigration Detention 
  • Victims of Trafficking and Violent Crimes (U and T Visas)

Veterans

  • Legal Representation for Veterans
  • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Claims
  • Certain State and Federal Warrants Resolved
  • VA and Other Government Benefits Advocacy

For Nonprofits Serving Low-Income Communities

  • Affordable Housing Advocacy and Legal Support
  • Board of Directors Training
  • Contracts
  • Nonprofit Formation
  • Employment Law Advice
  • Intellectual Property (Trademark, Copyright)
  • Lobbying Issues
  • Real Estate/ Land Use
  • Tax Exemption (501(c)(3))

For Child Care Providers

  • Business Formation
  • Facility Development
  • Insurance
  • Land Use, Permits
  • Landlord-Tenant Issues
  • Nonprofit Centers 
  • Parent-Provider Contracts

For Other Small Businesses

  • Business Formation
  • Contracts
  • Intellectual Property (Trademark, Patent, Copyright)
  • Transactional Legal Services

As a private nonprofit, Public Counsel generally does not charge for its legal services.  We rely on our donors and volunteers to enable us to provide services to as many clients as possible.  In some areas, there are far more clients seeking help than there are resources available to help.  Applying for legal services will not automatically result in acceptance of your case. 

Public Counsel does not handle criminal law matters or matters relating to personal injury, divorce, or child custody.  For information about criminal law representation, click http://pd.co.la.ca.us/.  For information about representation in family law matters, click http://www.levitt-quinn.org/ or http://www.hbcfl.org.

If you are in need of a private attorney, contact

Los Angeles County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(213) 243-1525
http://www.smartlaw.org/

or

Beverly Hills Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
(310) 601-2440
http://www.bhba.org/lawyerref.htm.

NOTE: This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. If you are in need of legal help in one of the areas described above, please contact Public Counsel to apply for legal services.