The Law Center for Families provides a broad range of legal services to Alameda low-income residents through a combination of systemic advocacy, community education, direct representation, and individual consultation. Our systemic advocacy work, including impact litigation, often benefits all Californians.

We provide all of our services for free or for a sliding-scale fee to clients in Alameda County in Spanish, Korean, American Sign language and English. Services in other languages are also available upon request.

Description:
We provide low cost legal assistance in the areas of Family Law, Housing Law, Consumer Law and Language Access. We conduct a walk-in clinic that is held on Thursday's.

History:
In 1999, Law Center for Families was founded by the merger of two primary providers of legal services to low income in Alameda County: Legal Aid Society of Alameda County and Community Law Center.

The Legal Aid Society of Alameda County (LASAC) was founded in 1929 - one of the leading founders was Chief Justice Earl Warren. LASAC was known not only as the lead legal services agency in Alameda County, but also as one of the most formidable advocacy agencies for the poor in the United States. LASAC traditionally provided free legal services to indigent residents of Alameda County, making an impact on the lives of thousands of very low-income persons by helping them resolve such family law matters as domestic violence and child support, or housing issues such as landlord-tenant relations. LASAC also worked with clients to obtain public benefits, including social security, veterans' benefits and Medicaid. LASAC assisted approximately 5,000 people per year.

Community Law Center (CLC) was established in 1978 by Sister Simone Campbell under the auspices of her Order, the Sisters of Social Service. CLC specialized in family law and probate matters, areas of the law in which low-income people have great difficulty finding affordable representation. Advocates served clients for sliding scale fees, believing that clients retained their dignity if they contributed financially toward the cost of their services. CLC was the only legal service provider in Alameda County that focused exclusively on the provision of a full array of family law and probate services to people of low to moderate income. In its last year of operation, CLC assisted almost 1,000 people with family law or probate problems.

Contact people:

Tiffaney Cloyd, Office Manager, (510) 451-9261 x224, (email) Luz Buitrago, Executive Director, (510) 451-9261 x208, (email) Kathy Gillespie, Program Director, (510) 451-9261 x206, (email)

Office fax number: (510) 763-2169

Address:

510 16th Street, Suite 300 Oakland, CA 94612 (See a map)

Web Site: http://lcff.org

Directions:

Take 980, take 17th street exit. Continue on 17th street to Telegraph Ave. Make a right on Telegraph Ave. Continue to 16th Street. Make a right on 16th steet. We are located on the right hand side across from the. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Bart - 12th street Oakland Civic Center exit,   Walk distance (in minutes): 3 min.