Smart Slider 2 – widgetElder victims of financial abuse are under-served in terms of civil legal remedies. There are many barriers to justice: limited income, access to information, few native language resources, a limited ability to secure police reports for cases that are predominantly civil in nature, even the legal process itself can be quite daunting. Additionally, attorneys often do not take these overwhelming and complex cases due to the lack of specialized training in this area. Social workers have little exposure to civil law and sometimes miss opportunities to refer their clients to civil attorneys. The Access to Justice Project seeks to bridges these divides locally through education and outreach.
Download a pdf of the Access to Justice Brochure here.
Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach
Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus Bay Area Legal Aid California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform Bar Association of San Francisco, Lawyer Referral and Information Service
La Raza Centro Legal
Legal Assistance to the Elderly Swords to Plowshares Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic (MLPS) Bayview/ Hunters Point Community Legal
| Organization Name: | Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach |
| Address | San Francisco Office: 1121 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Oakland Office: 1305 Franklin Street, Suite 410, Oakland, CA 94612 |
| Phone # | San Francisco Office: 415.567.6255 Oakland Office: 510.251.2846 |
| info@apilegaloutreach.org | |
| Website | https://www.apilegaloutreach.org/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/pages/Asian-Pacific-Islander-Legal-Outreach/141340909253331 | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/asian-pacific-islander-legal-outreach | |
| N/A | |
| Mission | To tear down long-standing barriers that have denied Asians and Pacific Islanders equal justice and equal access to our legal system. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | No age requirement |
| Language Access | According to its website, APILO provides services in more than a dozen languages, including Cantonese, Chiu-Chow, Hindi, Ilocano, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, Taiwanese, Urdu, and Vietnamese. |
| How to make an appointment | To make an appointment, API Legal Outreach recommends calling into one of their offices. They do not provide any legal advice in response to e-mail inquiries |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Violence Against Women, Immigrant Rights, Seniors and Elder Abuse, Human Trafficking, Youth, Social Justice |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | APILO has several outreach programs listed on its website here: https://www.apilegaloutreach.org/our-work/senior-law-project/ |
| Rate Structure | API Legal Outreach services are free to those receiving public benefits or who are low income and are also offered on a sliding fee |
| Organization Name: | Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Asian Law Caucus | |||
| Address | 55 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94111 | |||
| Phone # | 415.896.1701 | |||
| https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/who-we-are/contact-us | ||||
| Website | https://www.advancingjustice-alc.org/ | |||
| https://www.facebook.com/asianlawcaucus | ||||
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/asianlawcaucus | ||||
| https://twitter.com/aaaj_alc | ||||
| Mission | The mission of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus is to promote, advance, and represent the legal and civil rights of API communities. Recognizing that social, economic, political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society with a specific focus directed toward addressing the needs of low-income, immigrant, and underserved APIs. | |||
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | No age requirement | |||
| Language Access | Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, English, Other languages may be available upon request | |||
| How to make an appointment | Call: 415.896.1701 and press “0” to schedule with the Front Desk | |||
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Immigration, Housing, Employment, Criminal Justice, and National Security/Civil Rights | |||
| Organization Name: | Bay Area Legal Aid |
| Address | 1035 Market Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
| Phone # | 415.982.1300. Legal Assistance Line: 415.354.6360. Toll Free: 800. 551.5554 |
| N/A | |
| Website | https://baylegal.org/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaLegalServices | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/bay-area-legal-services | |
| https://twitter.com/BALSTampa | |
| Mission | Bay Area Legal Services is a regional, non-profit public interest law firm providing the highest quality legal counsel by:ASSISTING individuals and non-profit groups with limited access to legal services;RESOLVING the legal problems of our clients; andPRESERVING the independence, hope, and dignity of those we serve. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 60 and older |
| Language Access | Varies based on staffing |
| How to make an appointment | To make an appointment, Bay Legal Aid suggests calling their Legal Advice Assistance hotline at: 415.354.6360 |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Domestic Violence, Family Law Issues, Health Care, Housing, and Public Benefits. Legal Aid Services can also refer clients to other organizations in the event that the issue is outside of their areas of practice |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | Advance Planning: Helping you maintain your independence and helping ensure that your needs can be met your way through assistance with advance planning documents like a health care surrogate designation, a living will stating your decisions regarding life-prolonging procedures, and when appropriate, a durable power of attorney; providing advice on the benefits and detriments of related options; providing educational presentations to groups on these topics.Caregiver Advocacy: Helping caregivers who are over 60 and caregivers of those who are over 60 with specialized assistance on a holistic basis: services may include providing a health care proxy affidavit, assisting with temporary legal custody or adoption, or saving the home of your caregiving family.Consumer Protection: Helping you protect your income and property through advice or representation concerning your rights as a consumer or as a debtor.Family Law: Helping you protect yourself and your family through advice or representation concerning divorce, custody, adoption, name change, and other family law matters.Health Care Rights: Helping you preserve your Medicaid and Medicare rights.
Housing Preservation: Helping you preserve your housing and prevent homelessness through assistance with foreclosure prevention, landowner or landlord-tenant problems, and other shelter issues. Income Preservation: Helping you maintain income and benefits you need through advice or assistance regarding wage and Unemployment Compensation problems and entitlement program issues. |
| Hourly fee | No (Bay Area Legal Aid provides free legal services) |
| Pro Bono | BayLegal provides training and mentorship to attorneys interested in assisting low-income family law litigants with limited and full scope representation in family law matters, including Dissolution, Domestic Violence, Custody, and Support. |
| Organization Name: | California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform |
| Address | 650 Harrison Street, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94107 |
| Phone # | 415.974.5171 |
| N/A | |
| Website | https://www.canhr.org/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/CANHR | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/california-advocates-for-nursing-home-reform | |
| https://twitter.com/CANHR_CA | |
| Mission | To provide access to legal representation for long term care residents and their family members and, consistent with the intent of the Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act, to enable interested persons to engage attorneys to take up the cause of abused elderly persons and dependent adults. (Welfare & Institutions Code § 15600(j)).To encourage litigation panel members to promote structured settlements designed to improve the quality of care for all residents.To further the rights of the individual clients referred.To protect elders and dependent adults by providing remedies and restitution to victims of financial Elder Abuse. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 60+ |
| Language Access | Spanish, Chinese, Japanese |
| How to make an appointment | CANHR’s Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) staff is available to speak with callers to determine the nature of the legal problem and, when appropriate, to refer the caller to an attorney. The confidential interview takes 10-15 minutes and includes questions to determine the nature of the problem.All referrals are made on a rotating basis according to subject area and location. Special needs, such as language barriers, are taken into consideration. The client will be provided with the attorney’s name and telephone number and be advised to set up an appointment as soon as possible. Additionally, information given to CANHR will be forwarded to the attorney. |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Consumer Counseling: CANHR’s long term care advocates assist consumers with long term care options; pre–placement counseling; guidance with Medi–Cal eligibility and estate recovery; resident rights complaints; elder financial abuse problems; and community education on various long term care issues, including alternatives. CANHR’s toll–free hotline: 800.474.1116 (in California only).Nursing Home Guide: CANHR’s online guide has in–depth information on all 1,300+ nursing homes in California, including interactive searches, comparisons and details on violations, complaints and services.Residential Care Guide: CANHR’s residential care guide includes basic information on RCFEs/Assisted Living in California, including licensing and ownership information, and, for those facilities who responded to our survey, basic information about services provided.Continuing Care Retirement Communities: CANHR’s web site includes the most comprehensive information available about California’s growing CCRC industry.Family Council Organizing: CANHR staff assists relatives and friends of nursing home residents to organize Family Councils in individual facilities.
Lawyer Referral Service: CANHR has the only State Bar certified, statewide Lawyer Referral Service specifically designed to refer consumers to attorneys who specialize in estate planning for long term care, elder abuse and elder financial abuse issues. Legal Services Support: CANHR is a statewide legal services support center, providing technical assistance, training and advocacy support to qualified legal services program staff in California. Advocacy Support: CANHR develops corrective legislation and works with advocates and administrative agencies on clarification of current regulations and public policies related to funding and long term care issues. |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | Residential Care/Assisted Living, Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Medi-Cal Information/Estate Planning for Long Term Care, Elder Abuse/Financial Abuse |
| Hourly fee | Fees vary depending on the legal services requested and geographic location. Elder abuse, neglect and financial abuse cases are on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will pay fees if the case has a successful outcome. |
| Flat rate | Fees vary depending on the legal services requested and geographic location. Elder abuse, neglect and financial abuse cases are on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will pay fees if the case has a successful outcome. |
| Reduced Fee | Estate planning services are available on a regular fee, reduced fee, or pro bono (free) basis, depending on the client’s income, resources and legal need. If the Lawyer Referral Service is unable to make a referral on a contingency, pro bono, or reduced fee basis, CANHR staff will do their best to provide you with self help resources. |
| Contingency | Elder abuse, neglect and financial abuse cases are on a contingency fee basis. |
| Pro Bono | Yes |
| What are your requirements for taking a pro bono case? | Estate Planning services provides regular fee, reduced fee, or pro bono services depending on the client’s income, resources and legal need. |
| Organization Name: | Bar Association of San Francisco, Lawyer Referral and Information Service |
| Address | 301 Battery Street, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111 |
| Phone # | 415.989.1616 |
| https://www.sfbar.org/lawyerreferrals/onlinereferral.aspx | |
| Website | www.sfbar.org/lris |
| www.facebook.com/sflawyerreferral | |
| www.linkedin.com/in/sflawyerreferral | |
| www.twitter.com/SFLawyerRef | |
| Mission | To assist members of the public with quality legal representation and education |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 55 and older |
| Language Access | English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French |
| How to make an appointment | Contact Antonio Hernandez or Carole Conn at 415.989.1616 |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Elder Financial and Physical Abuse; Nursing home neglect; Consumer scams |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Average years of experience of the attorneys who participate on the Elder Abuse Panel is 20 yrs |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | Wills, estate planning with trusts, conservatorships, guardianships, durable power of attorney, will contests |
| Hourly fee | No |
| Reduced Fee | Usually no, since an attorney will open a case where damages are recoverable |
| Value Billing | No |
| Contingency | Yes. Because recovery is available and attorneys’ fees may also be available |
| In Pro Per | No |
| Interview fees | 30-minute free consultation for the elder |
| Pro Bono | No |
| What are your requirements for taking a pro bono case? | If there is indication that fraud or abuse has occurred, the matter is referred to the BASF LRIS for further screening and possible referral |
| Organization Name: | La Raza Centro Legal |
| Address | 474 Valencia St. #295, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
| Phone # | 415.575.3500 |
| info@lrcl.org | |
| Website | https://www.lrcl.org/index.php |
| https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Raza-Centro-Legal/104697662973564 | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/centro-legal-de-la-raza | |
| https://twitter.com/centrolegal | |
| Mission | La Raza Centro Legal is a community-based legal organization dedicated to empowering Latino, immigrant and low-income communities of San Francisco to advocate for their civil and human rights. We combine legal services, organizing, advocacy, and social services to build grassroots power and alliances towards creating a movement for a just society. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 60+ |
| Language Access | Spanish |
| How to make an appointment | Please make an appointment by calling 415.575.3500. All appointments take place at La Raza Centro Legal, 474 Valencia St. #295, San Francisco, CA 94103. |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Immigration Law, Workers’ Rights, Senior Law |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | Our Senior Law Program provides legal advocacy to immigrant and disabled seniors in the areas of public benefits, tenants’ rights, consumer fraud, estate planning and various kinds of abuse. |
| Pro Bono | Yes |
| What are your requirements for taking a pro bono case? | For Senior Law, individuals must be San Francisco residents, and of age 60 and over, or must have a disability. |
| Organization Name: | Legal Assistance to the Elderly |
| Address | 995 Market Street (Sixth Street) Suite 1400, San Francisco, California 94103 |
| Phone # | 415.538.3333 |
| info@laesf.org | |
| Website | https://www.laesf.org/ |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
| Mission | To ensure Elders and younger individuals with disabilities residing in San Francisco the ability to exercise their legal rights and fully access to all benefits and services to which they are entitled. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 18-59 years old for individuals who have a disability, and 60+ |
| Language Access | Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin |
| How to make an appointment | Call in for intake |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Eviction, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Elder Abuse, Consumer Fraud |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | LAE provides advice, referrals and/or representation at no cost to eligible individuals who are experiencing the followingTenants who are facing eviction, illegal rent increases or having problems getting their landlord to make needed repairsSocial Security and SSI recipients who are experiencing problems with their benefitsMedicare, Medicaid, & Medi-Cal recipients experiencing problems with their benefitsElders who are the victims of physical or financial abuse
Elders & younger individuals with disabilities who are experiencing consumer or debt collection problems Elders & younger individuals with disabilities who need simple wills
|
| Pro Bono | Yes |
| What are your requirements for taking a pro bono case? | In order to qualify for pro bono service, indiviuals must be a San Francisco Resident and either age sixty or older, or age 18-59 and have a disability. |
| Organization Name: | Swords to Plowshares |
| Address | 1060 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 |
| Phone # | 415.252.4788 |
| supportvets@stp-sf.org | |
| Website | https://www.swords-to-plowshares.org/about/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/vetshelpingvets | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/swords-to-plowshares | |
| https://twitter.com/vetshelpingvets | |
| Mission | War causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield. Swords to Plowshares’ mission is to heal the wounds, to restore dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and to prevent and end homelessness and poverty among veterans. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | All ages |
| Language Access | Varies based on staffing |
| How to make an appointment | Drop in, call, or email |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | From their website: Swords’ Legal Team is unique in that it provides attorney representation and consultation to veterans of any era and discharge status. Swords is one of the few organizations in the country that provides free attorney representation in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and military discharge upgrade cases. Our Legal Team works closely with clients to access the benefits they have earned, which helps veterans avoid or escape homelessness, increase their financial stability, and focus on their long-term health and well-being. |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | Yes |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits, Military Discharge Upgrades, Employment & Training, Supportive Housing, Health & Social Services, Women Veterans, Advocacy & Policy, Combat Community. |
| Pro Bono | Swords to Plowshares only provides legal representation to low income and homeless veterans – of any discharge status – who reside in San Francisco. |
| Notes: | Swords to Plowshares provide services to veterans of all ages, of all discharge statuses. I spoke with a Jennifer Stasch, and she told me that it is common for veterans who received dishonorable discharge to feel as though they do not qualify as veterans. However, StP accepts all veterans who are low income and/or homeless, regardless of how they were discharged. |
| Organization Name: | Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic (MLPS) |
| Address | 100 McAllister Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94102 |
| Phone # | 415.581.8933 |
| troyay@uchastings.edu | |
| Website | USCF Consortium |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
| N/A | |
| Mission | In the Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic (MLPS), Hastings students develop key lawyering skills through representation of low-income elderly patients at a UCSF medical clinic. Students assist clients in legal issues related to health, such as advance health care planning, estate planning, and public benefits. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 60 years and older |
| Language Access | Access to phone translation services |
| How to make an appointment | Only accessible to patients of UCSF partner programs with referral by UCSF medical provider |
| Type of Law Practiced/ Cases Taken/Panels | Advance Health Care Directives, Powers of Attorney, Simple Wills, Public Benefits |
| Experience with Elder Financial Abuse? | No |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | In the Medical-Legal Partnership for Seniors Clinic (MLPS), Hastings students develop key lawyering skills through representation of low-income elderly patients at a UCSF medical clinic. Students assist clients in legal issues related to health, such as advance health care planning, estate planning, and public benefits. |
| Rate/Structure | Free |
| Pro Bono | Yes |
| What are your requirements for taking a pro bono case? | Must be a patient of a UCSF program partnering with the MLPS |
| Organization Name: | Bayview/ Hunters Point Community Legal |
| Address | 4622 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94124 |
| Phone # | 415.735.4124 |
| virginia@bhpcommunitylegal.org | |
| Website | www.bhpcommunitylegal.org |
| https://www.facebook.com/BHPCommunityLegal?ref=br_tf | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/bayview-hunters-point-community-legal | |
| @bhpcommlegal | |
| Mission | Our mission is to provide access to justice for the residents of Bayview/Hunters Point, the highest need neighborhood in San Francisco. We help residents solve any legal issue for which for-profit attorneys are unavailable. We do this by working outside the courtroom, representing clients in everything from investigations to mediation to administrative filings. And when a case does require courtroom appearances, we work with our partners to find competent and low-cost legal counsel. |
| Age of Clients Served – Elder and Dep. Adult? | 18 years and older |
| Language Access | Main services in English. Some assistance available in Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin. |
| How to make an appointment | Either drop into our office, any time 9-5 on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, or call us at 415.735.4124. |
| Any other programs or services for elder abuse victims? | BHPCL will provide representation concerning legal problems for which our assistance is requested, in any subject area within the scope of our expertise and pursuant to our mission, for which for-profit attorneys are unavailable, EXCEPT that representation will NOT include appearances before a judicial tribunal, or any work on any case once a complaint has been filed in a court of competent jurisdiction. Services only available to people living, working, or with legal needs in the 94124 zip code. |
| Rate/Structure | BHPCL provides low cost legal services based on a sliding scale. $60 – For individual, pre-tax incomes between $50,000 – $74,999 per year $30 – For individual, pre-tax incomes between $35,000 – $49,999 per year $15 – For individual, pre-tax incomes between $15,000 – $34,999 per year $5 SUGGESTED DONATION – For Individual, pre-tax income less than $15,000 per year |
