JusticeCorps: Bay Area Region

There are over 4 million people living in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara—the counties served by the Bay Area JusticeCorps program partner courts. Many of these people cannot afford legal representation and need assistance when trying to navigate through complicated court proceedings. By providing information, referrals, and assistance with forms completion, Bay Area JusticeCorps members help mitigate that:

• The percentage of people who were born in another country exceeds the statewide average
• With the exception of Alameda close to 50% of the population speaks a language other than English at home.
• Both Alameda and San Francisco have higher statewide averages of single-parent households.

Since it began in 2006, Bay Area JusticeCorps has served more than 120,000 self-represented litigants, and graduated more than 500 JusticeCorps alumni.

JusticeCorps members will be trained to provide legal information to self–represented litigants to assist them with resolving important legal matters. JusticeCorps members assist litigants by helping them prepare court paperwork, by making referrals, or through assistance at legal information workshops. Members will receive training in a variety of areas to support and enhance the member’s service to the public as well as training that will support the members’ individual development. Members will be placed at one of 6 service locations located throughout the Bay Area.

JusticeCorps Graduate Fellowship (1700-hr Member) Program

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JusticeCorps Fellows are college graduates who serve with the courts full-time for one year. Fellows commit to provide a minimum of 1,700 hours of service beginning on  August, 2024, and ending in late July, 2025.

 

JusticeCorps Legal Access Intern (300-hr AmeriCorps Member) Program

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This program is open to students enrolled at any of our participating campuses: University of California, Berkeley, CSU East Bay, San Jose State University, Stanford University, SF State University, Canada College, College of San Mateo, Skyline College, and Santa Clara University. JusticeCorps Legal Access Interns provide 300 hours of service. The program will begin in September 2024 and hours will be completed by the end of the member’s academic year (May or June, 2025.)

 

 

Bay Area JusticeCorps recruits the majority of its members from students attending JusticeCorps’ partner universities. Students can meet JusticeCorps program staff at campus job fairs, and can also learn about the program through their campus service learning center:

• University of California at Berkeley
• San Francisco State University
• California State University East Bay
• San Jose State University
• Stanford University
• Cañada College
• College of San Mateo
• Skyline College
• Santa Clara University

Most partners also have a campus-based university representative who works on outreach and recruitment and supports members throughout their service year. Our university reps — all of whom are enrolled students and most of whom are JusticeCorps alumni — provide support to the program staff throughout the service year while also acting as peer mentors for the cohort of members from their campus.

Program Director: Dan Siskind 510-891-6406

Program Coordinator:: Lexi Hernandez