JusticeCorps: Los Angeles Region

The Los Angeles Court serves the 9.5 million people of Los Angeles County with courtrooms spread throughout the 400 square miles' from Pomona to Santa Monica and from Lancaster to Long Beach. In 2004, the court launched the JusticeCorps program with 100 300-hour members serving in Los Angeles' court based self-help centers and since then, more than 2,800 alumni have graduated from the Los Angeles program.

 

Los Angeles JusticeCorps Members are trained to support self-represented litigants navigating their cases without an attorney. If accepted into the program, you’ll be placed in one of the courthouses throughout LA and work under the direct supervision of an attorney to offer legal assistance (not advice) to the many members of the LA Community navigating a court case on their own. 

Students of all majors and career interests are welcomed! Prospective JusticeCorps participants are not required to be interested in pursuing a legal career, have a specific major, or have any experience in law, teaching, or working with the public. 

If you want to develop transferable skills, are interested in giving back to your community, serving a population that is in need, or promoting social justice, JusticeCorps will provide you with a unique opportunity to do so!

LA Justice Corps offers 3 positions: Graduates Fellows, Legal Access Intern, and Summer Program Legal Access Interns, each with their own level of commitment and eligibility requirements. Read below to find out more and apply!

Graduate Fellowship (1,700-hr AmeriCorps Member)

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Fellows participating in this year-long program will be placed in one of ten courthouses around LA County to lead legal education workshops for the public and work one-on-one with those seeking to represent themselves in court. Fellows work with more complex cases than other JusticeCorps members and assist in providing self-represented litigants with information about procedures, options, scheduling and referrals to appropriate services, review of self-represented litigants’ files and documents, creation of legal education materials and much more.

Eligibility: Members must have graduated from an undergrad program by August 16, 2024

Commitment: Must complete 1700 hours of service beginning August 2024 and concluding in August 2025. Participants in the Fellowship serve 40 hours/week (from 8AM-4:30PM, Mon-Fri)

Benefits:

• $33,000 Stipend – dispersed throughout the term of service
• $10,000 combined Segal AmeriCorps Education Award and California for All Education Awards (upon successful completion of service)
• Cal Fresh– for those eligible
• Health Insurance
• AmeriCorps Member Assistance Program (MAP)—wellness benefits including mental health support and life coaching
• Loan Forbearance on existing qualifying student loans and payment of interest accrued during service 
• Childcare assistance to qualifying Fellows, paid to an eligible provider of your choice
• Professional Development workshops, field trips, and more!

For any questions regarding the graduate fellowship contact Jennifer Kalish.

Legal Access Intern (300-hr AmeriCorps Member)

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Academic Year Members are placed in one of ten courthouses around LA County to assist in providing legal education to litigants by assisting in leading community workshops or providing one-on-one services.

Eligibility: must be an undergraduate student enrolled during the entire 2024-2025 school year at one of our participating partner campuses, listed below:

• California State University at Dominguez Hills
• California State University at Fullerton
• California State University at Long Beach
• California State University at Los Angeles
• California State University at Northridge
• California State Polytechnic University Pomona
• Mount Saint Mary’s University
• Occidental College
• University of California at Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• Whittier College

Commitment: Must complete 300 hours of service beginning September 2024 and concluding in August 2025. Legal Access Interns are expected to serve 6-8 hours/week 

Benefits:

• Eligibility for Course Credit based on campus
• $1459.26 Segal AmeriCorps Education Award

For any questions regarding the Legal Access Intern program, contact Alexa Ocio.

Summer Legal Access Intern (300-hr AmeriCorps Member)

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Summer Program Members are placed in one of ten courthouses around LA County to assist in providing legal education to litigants by assisting in leading community workshops or providing one-on-one services. The Summer Program is an immersive and intensive 10-week experience where you’ll gain exposure to working directly with litigants, offering legal education, and learning from attorneys. 

Eligibility: must be a current undergraduate student or have graduated from an undergraduate program 

Commitment: Must complete 300 hours of service beginning June 2024 and concluding in August 2024. Participants in the Summer Program serve 35 hours/week

Benefits:

• Eligibility for Course Credit based on campus
• $1,459.26 Scholarship

For any questions regarding the summer program contact Alexa Ocio.

Los Angeles JusticeCorps recruits its members for its Student College Member program from students enrolled at JusticeCorps partner campuses. Students can meet JusticeCorps program staff at campus job fairs, and can also learn about the program through their campus service-learning or career centers:

• California State University at Dominguez Hills
• California State University at Long Beach
• California State University at Northridge
• California State Polytechnic University Pomona
• University of California at Los Angeles
• University of Southern California
• Occidental College
• University of LaVerne

Each partner also has a campus-based university representative who works on outreach and recruitment and supports members throughout their service year. The Current university contacts are:

California State University at Dominguez Hills

• Cheryl McKnight
  Director, Center for Service Learning, Internships, & Civic Engagement

California State University at Long Beach

• Mariela Gutierrez
  Internship Coordinator, Career Development Center

California State University at Northridge

• Julia Heinen
  Interim Director of Community Engagement

University of California at Los Angeles

• Dr. Douglass Barerra
• Assistant Director, Center for Community Learning

University of Southern California

• Emma Rendon
  USC Joint Educational Project

Occidental College

• Jason Barquero
  Senior Associate Director, Employer & Alumni Engagement Strategies

University of La Verne

For information on the JusticeCorps Graduate Fellowship (1,700-hr AmeriCorps Member), please contact Jennifer Kalish , Program Director, 213-633-0692.

For information on the JusticeCorps Legal Access Intern Academic Year or Summer positions, please contact Alexa Ocio, Program Coordinator, 213-633-0685.