On September 21st, OneJustice kicked off its 14th Executive Fellowship cohort with an extraordinary group of 31 legal aid leaders from across the country.  During this two-day in-person meeting our Fellows were able to meet each other, hear from Fellowship alumni, and dive right into the Executive Fellowship curriculum. 

The cohort will continue to meet virtually and in-person from now until June 2024 to develop leadership and management skills and expand the capacity of the nonprofit legal services organizations they represent.

A special thank you to Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP for hosting this year’s kickoff and networking reception at their stunning Century City office and providing such a welcoming environment for us to launch this year’s Executive Fellowship cohort.

This year’s cohort represents a wide range of practice areas including immigration, housing, and civil rights law, and includes representatives from legal services organizations in California, the District of Columbia, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. 

Please join OneJustice for a two-part learning series for legal services nonprofits and their fundraising and development teams. In these FREE peer-based sessions, our first session will focus on hiring, retention, and growth for legal aid development professionals. Our second session will center evaluating organizational needs and strategic use of development staff energy.  

Each in-depth session will offer discussion, resources, and strategies for problem solving.  Sector professionals at all levels of development and/or nonprofit leadership are welcome. 

Session 1:

October 13, 2023 – 12:30 – 2:00 PM PST

FREE of Cost

Development HR – Hiring, Retention, and Growth for Legal Aid Development Professionals

How can the legal services sector best hire, retain, and grow development professionals? OneJustice will offer a roundtable discussion on current trends, tools, and DEIBA practices with a special focus on development staff. 

Session 2: 

November 3, 2023 – 12:30 – 2:00 PM PST 

FREE of Cost

Strategic Resource Allocation – Evaluating organizational needs and where to place development staff energy.

Resources are everything to a legal service nonprofit organization’s ability to represent their clients. How can we strategically incorporate fundraising and development, and use the strengths of our development staff to their full potential? Are you an organization that doesn’t have a full time development staff? ED doing it all on your own? This session will discuss how best to strategize no matter what the limitations might look like. 

REGISTER FOR ONE OR BOTH SESSIONS HERE. REGISTRATION IS FREE!

Please reach out with any questions. We look forward to connecting with you at our Development Professional Learning Community!

Reconnect. Celebrate. Strengthen.

We are thrilled to announce that OneJustice’s 2024 California Pro Bono Conference will be held in-person for the first time since 2020! We are eagerly looking forward to building community, establishing new and developing existing relationships, celebrating our diversity, and strategizing together as a sector.

2024 California Pro Bono Conference

• Date: January 25th, 2024
• Time: 9:00 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. PST
• Location: The California Endowment, 2000 Franklin Street Oakland CA 94612

The California Pro Bono Conference brings together civil legal aid organizations, law firms, law schools, bar associations, courts, and corporations. Our shared commitment to justice and pro bono work will be at the forefront of a gathering for engaging discussions and collaborative networking.

Immediately following the conference, OneJustice will be hosting a reception at Kaiser Permanente:

• Location: 1950 Franklin Street 2nd Floor – Conference Dining Room Oakland, CA 94612

To learn more about the conference, to register, or to sponsor the Pro Bono Conference, please visit our event website. If you have any questions, please email us at probonoconference@one-justice.org.

We hope to see you there! Let’s reconnect, celebrate, and strengthen our community together.

Learn more about our Sponsor Benefits. If you are interested in sponsoring OneJustice’s 2024 California Pro Bono Conference, either submit your sponsorship on our event page, or contact Zain Tewalthomas at ztewalthomas@one-justice.org.

OneJustice is offering a free training program this fall for individuals who are seeking to join or who have recently joined a legal aid board.

If you are interested in participating, please fill out this questionnaire no later than Friday, September 15, 2023. There are a limited number of spaces available.

Training Information:

In the legal aid ecosystem, boards of directors are an essential element of organizational decision-making and leadership. Join a cohort of individuals committed to supporting legal aid organizations in a series of training sessions designed to develop and strengthen your effectiveness as a board member. Learn practical skills and gain an understanding of how to be a successful and contributing board member. As a program tailored to the composition and expertise of the participants, learning will take place through a combination of self-study, case studies, and interactive activities on topics that may include: leading diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, board governance, mitigating risk, managing conflict, financial oversight, and understanding the civil legal aid sector. Through the case studies, participants will be better prepared to leverage their skills and expertise for the benefit of legal aid organizations.

3 Virtual Sessions:

Session 1: Monday, October 23, 2023 from 5:30-7:30pm Pacific (via Zoom)

Session 2: Monday, October 30, 2023 from 5:30-7:30pm Pacific (via Zoom)

Session 3: Monday, November 6, 2023 from 5:30-7:30pm Pacific (via Zoom)

If you need additional information about the training program, please contact Jay Lee (jlee@one-justice.org) or Kim Irish Heinonen (kirish@one-justice.org). 

If you are interested in the training program but are unable to participate on the dates above, please note that there may be additional opportunities to participate in future training programs.

CONTACT: Leigh Ferrin – OneJustice – (415) 834-0100 ext 422, lferrin@one-justice.org

San Francisco – Today, OneJustice, along with Bay Area Legal Aid, and the Center for Consumer Law and Economic Justice at UC Berkeley Law School, filed an amicus brief in Cal. Capital Ins. Co. v. Hoehn, No. S277510, pending in the California Supreme Court, . The brief challenges the court of appeal’s finding that there was an implied two year statute of limitations in CCP 473(d), a section frequently used to vacate judgments in debt collection cases that are void due to lack of service. OneJustice, our co-authors, and amici at Community Legal Aid SoCal, East Bay Community Law Center, Impact Fund, Legal Aid Association of California, Legal Assistance for Seniors, Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice, Mental Health Advocacy Services, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Public Counsel, and Western Center on Law & Poverty strongly disagree with this ruling – a ruling that would perpetuate already common fraudulent service practices. 

Though the case is a procedural one, the impact on low income consumers will be wide and potentially devastating. Thousands of debt collection lawsuits brought against consumers result in default judgments from courts, because consumers are often not properly served – in what the brief describes as a “pernicious phenomenon known as ‘sewer service’.” Frequently consumers don’t find out they have judgments against them until many years after, due to fraudulent service. If the two year limitation articulated by the Court of Appeal is upheld, consumers would have no redress to challenge these void default judgments. The impacts of the resulting garnishments and liens cause regular consumers to face dire consequences such as a loss of housing, inability to afford necessities, and other financial hardship. 

“OneJustice is proud to stand with our partners in this Amicus Brief. Default judgments are entered against California’s consumers in an overwhelming percentage of debt collection cases largely due to sewer service practices,” said OneJustice Program Director Leigh Ferrin, “The consequences of a default judgment can be severe. We want consumers to have a fair shot at the legal process.”  

Thousands of California consumers face financial catastrophe each year arising from debt collection lawsuits they didn’t know were filed – frequently about debts they don’t actually owe. We want to ensure that the Supreme Court upholds consumers’ right to due process and that our legal aid partners have the procedural tools at their disposal to represent and protect their low-income clients.

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OneJustice works to ensure a thriving, effective legal services sector that advances a just and equitable society. We advance justice and equity by equipping the sector with skills and tools to maximize impact, championing robust and reliable legal service resources, convening the sector to harness its wisdom and power; and sharing analyses and insights about systemic trends and challenges. 

On June 22nd, 2023, OneJustice held its annual Opening Doors to Justice gala, gathering the legal service community to ignite a shared sense of purpose for legal services work and to celebrate the extraordinary legal aid achievements of OneJustice’s 2023 Champion of Justice honorees.

Event attendees enjoyed the chance to connect at the stunning Battery SF penthouse.

OneJustice was honored to celebrate the work of our six 2023 Champions of Justice.  Bank of America, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., and McGuireWoods were recognized for their collaborative clinic work, helping low-income Californians get a fresh start by helping to expunge their misdemeanor criminal records.  DLA Piper and Inland Counties Legal Services were honored for their partnership in clinics that provided free legal guidance for small business owners and entrepreneurs in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.  We recognized the State Bar of California for its commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) amongst attorneys and law firms in California through its new DEI Leadership Seal program.

OneJustice wishes to extend our deepest thanks to our 2023 Opening Doors to Justice sponsors, whose generosity made the event possible and enables us to carry out our vital work of strengthening the legal services sector’s expertise and capacity to advance justice and equity.  We are equally grateful for the support of our guests and attendees, our board, and our staff, who strengthen legal services throughout the state, support OneJustice’s work, and work every day to close the justice gap in California and across the nation.

OneJustice is pleased to announce the graduation of the 2022-2023 cohort of the Executive Fellowship program!  28 extraordinary legal aid leaders gathered in person and online on June 8 to celebrate the conclusion of 10 months of intensive coursework, independent research, and peer learning regarding nonprofit management and leadership skills.

This 13th Executive Fellowship cohort is OneJustice’s most diverse ever, representing a wide range of practice areas including immigration, housing, and civil rights law.  The cohort includes leaders from legal service organizations in California, Alaska, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Washington state. 

OneJustice couldn’t be more proud of this group’s commitment to excellence, building powerful connections, and continued growth.  We can’t wait to see their learning become practice as they grow and deepen their work in advancing justice and equity!

We want to extend a special thank you to Nixon Peabody LLP for hosting the in-person graduation celebration in their downtown Los Angeles office.

Applications for the 2023-2024 Executive Fellowship program are now live and available here!

On March 27th – 29th, 2023, members of  OneJustice’s staff attended ABA Day in Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased federal funding to provide low-income Americans with the civil legal assistance and representation they need. Read below to learn more about staff experiences.

What was the message you wanted to convey during your meetings?

“The overall message was that legal services organizations provide incredibly important, and even life-saving, services to low-income Californians. These organizations are an integral part of the system, and  they help anyone who comes through our doors with a cognizable legal problem to the extent possible, no matter their political affiliation, their race/ethnicity, the language they speak, etc. This is truly a bipartisan issue because anybody can face a civil legal issue.” – Leigh Ferrin, Director

What was your favorite moment during your trip?

“I really enjoyed the SCOTUS reception – it was the first time I had a chance to actually go into the Supreme Court! It was also a wonderful bonding experience for our team to get together and go into the Capitol building together.” – Habiba Simjee, Director

“One of my favorite moments of the trip was speaking to a staffer at a newly elected Representatives office who had never heard of LSC before our meeting. I love these meetings because it provides us an opportunity to educate these staff members on how important LSC is to their constituent community and the needs go beyond partisan politics. I enjoy helping staff members realize that LSC is a bipartisan organization and their grantees can provide much needed services to their district.”  – Dana Marquez Richardson, Senior Staff Attorney

Why do you think attending ABA Day and speaking to representatives and their staff is important or valuable for the legal aid sector?

“Speaking with representatives is an opportunity for us to share the impact LSC’s are having in their community. Meeting in person with the representatives is important and can make a more lasting impact than doing it virtually or over an email or phone call. Human interaction allows us to build a relationship with the representatives.” – Miguel Martinez, Program Manager

What do you think our community should know about legal aid funding?

“By increasing legal aid funding in America legal aid organizations are able to build more robust systems and acquire more resources and funds to meet the needs of all low-income Americans, thus helping these legal service providers close the justice gap that leaves almost one million Americans without legal assistance. Our civil legal aid organizations serve diverse populations dealing with serious issues related to housing insecurity, domestic violence, healthcare access, veteran’s benefits, children’s welfare, and consumer finance complaints. Thus, it is vital to fund LSC grantees who help protect the rights and interests of vulnerable populations who otherwise would not have access to proper assistance.” – Jocelyn Ortiz, Program Coordinator

We are pleased to announce that this May, OneJustice will be offering a free training program for individuals who are seeking to join or who have recently joined a legal aid board.

If you are interested in joining or have recently joined a legal aid board and would like to participate in the Spring 2023 pilot launch of OneJustice’s training program, please fill out this form by April 7, 2023. There are a limited number of spaces available for the pilot launch of the training.

About the Training:

In the legal aid ecosystem, boards of directors are an essential element of organizational decision-making and leadership. Join a cohort of individuals committed to supporting legal aid organizations in a series of training sessions designed to develop and strengthen your effectiveness as a board member. Learn practical skills and gain an understanding of how to be a successful and contributing board member. As a program tailored to the composition and expertise of the participants, learning will take place through a combination of self-study, case studies, and interactive activities on topics that may include: leading diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, board governance, mitigating risk, managing conflict, financial oversight, and understanding the civil legal aid sector. Through the case studies, participants will be better prepared to leverage their skills and expertise for the benefit of legal aid organizations.

When/where: 3 sessions (1 optional, 2 required):

• *Optional* Virtual networking introductory session [via zoom]: (date TBD)
• *Required* Virtual session [via zoom]: 5:30-7:30pm | Monday, May 1, 2023
• *Required* In-person session [downtown San Francisco, exact location TBD]: 10am-1pm | Saturday, May 13, 2023

For additional information about the training program, please contact Gail Quan (gquan@one-justice.org) or Jay Lee (jlee@one-justice.org).

*If you are interested in the training program but unable to participate on the dates above, please note that there may be additional opportunities to participate in future training programs. We will provide information about additional training opportunities on our website and through our email lists.

Millions of low-income, California residents face pressing legal challenges with not enough resources available to help them navigate the justice system. Systems of inequality and the high cost of legal services means that legal aid for all too many is just a dream. 

OneJustice brings together the private and nonprofit sectors to face these challenges head on and ensure that life-changing legal solutions are available to people who so desperately need them. OneJustice also brings the legal services and pro bono community together to close the justice gap, address emerging crises, and tackle systemic inequities. 

OneJustice imagines a thriving, effective legal services sector that advances a just, equitable society. We work alongside our extensive, legal services and pro bono network to advance justice and equity. 

On Thursday, June 22, 2023 OneJustice will honor six Champions of Justice. This year’s awardees range from nonprofit champions of legal services who provide vital legal services to those most likely to fall through the cracks, a corporation proving its dedication to the community with hard work and partnership, law firms that do not rest once their own billing is complete – they add extra hours to their day and value to the lives of Californians in need, and the State Bar of California, which is asking every legal practitioner in California to commit to and take action to further workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

We are honored to announce that this year’s OneJustice Champions of Justice are: 

Inland Counties Legal Services and DLA Piper 

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., Bank of America, and McGuire Woods LLP 

The State Bar of California

Learn more about OneJustice’s Opening Doors to Justice Event here. We hope you will join us in honoring the work of these dedicated organizations.