Legal Aid's mission is to promote social justice and advance basic human rights for vulnerable people in our community. Legal Aid has provided services to Sonoma County’s indigent population for over 50 years. Founded in 1958 and incorporated in 1983 as a private non profit, Legal Aid provides legal forms preparation, legal information, court representation, and referrals to other legal and non-legal resources in the community.
Services are provided in English and Spanish, four days a week. Services are available on a walk in basis and by appointment. Legal Aid is staffed by the executive director/managing attorney, a supervising attorney, three domestic violence staff attorneys (one with offices at the Family Justice Center), two elder law attorneys, three housing attorneys, a disaster relief attorney, an immigration attorney (with offices at Catholic Charities), an operations manager, a paralegal, six legal case workers, a business manager, a telephone intake caseworker, a front desk admin assistant, and dozens of volunteer attorneys, law students, paralegal interns, paralegals and community members.
PROGRAMS:
C.A.P.P. - Child Abuse Prevention Program
Protects abused and neglected children by helping them stabilize in loving homes outside of the foster care system
HOME - Eviction Defense, Habitability, and Housing Outreach Project
Helps prevent homelessness by preventing unlawful evictions
Ensures that low-income people have safe and habitable places to live
SAFE – Domestic Violence Services Project
Prevents domestic violence by providing victims permanent solutions to safety, shelter and economic issues
ELDER - Elder Law Program
Assists vulnerable seniors with elder abuse, housing, and elder law issues.
FIRE - Disaster Relief Program
Assists survivors of the October 2017 Firestorm.
IMMIGRATION
Assists with immigration services in partnership with Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa.