Domestic Violence Project
Soujourn Legal Clinic

Background and Organization:
The Women Lawyers of Los Angeles (WLALA) Domestic Violence Project (aka "Sojourn Legal Clinic"), is co-chaired by Aman Thind and Susan Hill. It consists of a Legal Clinic run through a battered women’s shelter in Santa Monica, which is under the umbrella of the Santa Monica Ocean Park Community Center’s (OPCC) Sojourn Domestic Violence Services ("Sojourn").

The Legal Clinic is in session every Monday in Santa Monica from 6-7 p.m. The clients are women referred by Sojourn; they are not necessarily residents in the shelter itself, and they come from every socio-economic and ethnic background imaginable, from executives at large entertainment industry corporations to stay-at-home immigrants who speak no English.

These women are often being abused or have just left their batterer and have no idea what their legal rights are or what to do next. The Legal Clinic provides legal advice, guidance and support, and clients are welcome to return as often as necessary until their legal issues are resolved. Repeat clients progress as they gain confidence in themselves and learn how to get back on their feet and work toward a positive goal for themselves and/or their children.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteers may help in two ways: 1) volunteering directly for the Legal Clinic itself; or 2) assisting the co-chairs in organizing meetings, coordinating the Legal Clinic volunteers, sending emails, etc. (To remain sensitive to the women the Legal Clinic serves, only women are allowed to volunteer at the Legal Clinic. Unfortunately, a male presence, even a benevolent one, discourages women clients from using the service. Men are certainly welcome to join the Domestic Violence Project Committee, however, and to attend the meetings or become administrative volunteers.)

At the Legal Clinic: dispense general legal advice, mainly advising women on their general rights, how to prepare their case and where to go for further information: non-profits, self-help websites, how to research in a law library, how to find an attorney, etc. The Legal Clinic does not represent clients in matters and does not prepare paperwork, although we will check over a client’s paperwork that she filled out herself. Training is provided on frequently asked questions such as dissolution and restraining orders, as well as the cycle of domestic violence and how it commonly manifests. Each consultation with a client is brief, about 10-15 minutes depending upon how many clients are waiting to be seen.

Volunteer Attorneys:
Intake volunteers: The Legal Clinic also needs volunteers (not necessarily attorneys or students) to help with intake during the Monday sessions, i.e., organizing the paperwork and the women who walk in for the Legal Clinic. These volunteers will also be able to sit in on consultations if they wish, as they take place in the same room.

Law students are also encouraged to volunteer. They can gain exposure to many fields of law and gain experience in handling clients by sitting in on the consultations, and their input is gladly welcome. Much of the advice is common sense so students can easily participate with the supervision of an attorney.
 

Administrative Volunteers:
For those who cannot commit to being physically present at the Legal Clinic, volunteers are always needed to help with administrative duties, such as emailing and organizing the Legal Clinic volunteers, maintaining the schedule, etc. These responsibilities are minimal but extremely helpful to the co-chairs.

Committee Meetings:
The WLALA Domestic Violence Project is always evolving and welcomes input from committee members. We meet about once every four months to educate interested volunteers about the Legal Clinic, present short lectures on useful areas of the law, provide feedback, share our experiences, and make sure the Legal Clinic is running to the satisfaction of both the clients and the volunteers. As an added bonus, we offer CLE credit for these meetings.

For more information:
Please contact one of our chair Adrienne Hahn at adrienne@vsbllp.com, or 310-306-0515.