Why were you specifically interested finding pro bono opportunities in the area of public benefits?
I’m on the board of MAZON, an organization whose mission is to combat hunger. To do what we can to make sure that people have enough to eat is something I feel very strongly about. I’d heard that in some jurisdictions people applying for SNAP benefits were having problems getting their applications processed and that there were bureaucratic problems at some social services agencies. I wanted to see if there was a way we could help.
I knew that CLA SoCal represented applicants in SNAP appeals in Orange County. Teaming with CLA SoCal has always been a great opportunity for our firm and our lawyers, and in this instance it seemed particularly wise. Our firm was involved in litigation over a decade ago specifically against the Orange County Social Services Agency because they were not processing applications for public benefits within the timeframe required by law. Our lawyers knew that by working together with CLA SoCal we could assess the situation and do what was best for the client community.
I think nutrition benefits like SNAP can really make the difference between living with some level of stability and ending up on the street. Helping someone secure the public benefits they are entitled to isn’t just about quality of life, it can often be a question of life or death for someone.
What role do pro bono lawyers play in addressing poverty?
In my experience, first as a legal aid lawyer, then as a pro bono lawyer, I have come to be a true believer in the impact lawyers can have in fighting the effects and tragedies caused by poverty. I’ve come to believe over the years that lawyers are the greatest warriors we have in the war on poverty.
Many people don’t have regular access to some of the basic necessities of life—food, shelter, and healthcare. Without these things, life becomes intolerable.
As attorneys, we are able to help vulnerable members of our communities in ways that nobody else can. We are able to march into court and play a pivotal role in a decision-making moment that can mean the difference between whether that person and their family will have enough to eat, will have a place to sleep, or will have access to life-saving healthcare. Oftentimes, these cases involve people and families who are on a precipice. If the decision goes one way, it leads to crisis and further tragedy, or, if it goes the other, it can result in significantly improving their lives.
In pro bono work, we do a great deal of impact work, appellate work, and policy work. But often the most important work we can do is to ensure access for clients to the most basic necessities of life. In that way we can make a huge impact on the sustainability and quality of the lives of the community’s most vulnerable by helping to secure those necessities.
Anything else you’d like to add?
As important as is the work of pro bono lawyers, we can’t do it without legal aid organizations. You are the experts, guiding us and pointing us in the right direction. Working with CLA SoCal and other legal aid organizations is a great gift to us. We couldn’t do this work and have the impact that we have on people’s lives without you.
