Press Room

Anna works as a full-time medical assistant, and she is a single mother to a three-year-old daughter. She explained with a laugh that those details alone describe her life at present: “There’s no time for anything!” Anna generously took time out of her lunch break to share her experience seeking legal representation for protection against …

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Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in OneJustice’s last fundraising event, “Together for Justice,” which raised vital funding for legal aid organizations providing critically needed immigration legal services in Contra Costa County—including Bay Area Legal Aid. The event highlighted the impact of BayLegal’s immigration-related work along with that of two partner organizations—Catholic Charities …

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As of October 27, 2019, it is illegal for landlords to increase housing rent by more than 10% in California, following Governor Newsom’s declaration of a state of emergency due to wildfire conditions. State officials have passed this law in order to prevent landlords from charging higher rental prices to people impacted by California wildfires—a …

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If you are a CalFresh recipient and a victim of a California wildfire, you may be eligible to receive Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) benefits. D-CalFresh benefits are emergency benefits provided over a 30-day period to CalFresh recipients who are victims of natural disasters. D-CalFresh provides these benefits on an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which can …

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Domestic violence prevention has been a fundamental part of BayLegal’s service model since the organization’s inception in 2000 through the merger of several smaller legal services firms. In BayLegal’s first year, advocates operated a Domestic Violence Legal Clinic that served over 1,000 people. Today, BayLegal operates six Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) Clinics five days …

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On September 25, 2019, The Press (of East Contra Costa County) reported that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors has placed an indefinite moratorium on locally imposed criminal justice fees. County officials implemented the measure in order to examine the effect of fines, fees, and collection practices on low-income community members. Community advocates have …

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In August 2019, Bay Area Legal Aid, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library, organized the first Name and Gender Marker Legal Clinic ever held on the Library’s premises. The clinic helped transgender members of our community with the paperwork necessary to change legal documents to reflect their name and gender, and also offered …

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The September 2019 issue of Contra Costa Lawyer features an article co-authored by Mélody Saint-Saëns, Immigration Regional Counsel at BayLegal, and Juliana Morgan-Trostle, Equal Justice Works Fellow (sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP), regarding the importance of a comprehensive approach to legal services for low-income immigrant survivors of interpersonal violence. Our immigrant clients include survivors of …

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In a September 18, 2019 segment on Univisión 14, BayLegal attorney Jessica Jenkins explained to Spanish-speaking viewers why participation in the 2020 United States Census is important: “Es muy importante que todos participan in el censo para que sean contados. Con esa información el gobierno da nuestros ciudades recursos importantes para nuestros escuelas, y otros …

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Last month, Executive Director Genevieve Richardson introduced Skyler M. Rosellini, Staff Attorney with our Health Consumer Center (HCC) and his inspiring client, Álida Pepper, to an audience gathered to recognize the importance of investment in civil legal aid—and the need for more. The event was hosted by the American Bar Association at their annual meeting …

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