Service area:
Artesia
Bell
Bell Gardens
Bellflower
Cerritos
Downey
Norwalk
Paramount

Must make an appointment for services. No walk ins.

The Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Community Legal Services of Southeast Los Angeles County offer a wide array of services. Our services follow a three-tier model. All services are scheduled through our intake center, the legal advice hotline. Services include:
First Tier: Evaluation, Advice and Counsel
Second Tier: Clinic or Workshop appointment
Third Tier: Callback appointments or Office appointments to evaluate for Direct Representation

Eligibility Criteria

Our eligibility criteria varies dependent on the type of services needed, our criteria looks at several main factors. Please understand that there are often exceptions to these rules, so please call for an official eligibility screening -even if you have doubts about qualifying. Our Eligibility Screeners are trained to help determine what programs you may qualify for, and can often provide referrals for those who do not qualify. The main basic eligibility criteria is as follows:
Income: Generally, LASOCs income guideline is 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. In the event that an appointment is set, income must be proven at the time of your appointment.
Assets: For those persons between 125% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Guideline, an asset ceiling is imposed. Assets such as bank accounts, stocks and bonds, trust deeds, etc. hold a ceiling of $4,000 for a family unit of 1 (one) person and $6,000 for a family unit of 2 (two) or more. There are many assets exempt to this rule. Please call for an Eligibility Screening regarding questions on certain specific assets.
Area of Residence: Orange County and the following cities of Southeast Los Angeles County: Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Carson (some areas), Cerritos, Compton, Cudahy, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Hollydale, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, Norwalk, Paramount, South Gate, Walnut Park and Willowbrook.
Citizenship/Immigration Status: Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident (with some exceptions). Permanent Legal Residents must show official residence card at the time of an appointment (unfortunately, photocopies are not accepted).


Service Area:

LASOC serves all of Orange County. CLS serves the following cities of Southeast Los Angeles County: Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, parts of Carson, Cerritos, Compton, Cudahy, Downey, Hollydale, Huntington Park, parts of Los Angeles, Lynwood, Maywood, Norwalk, Paramount, Rancho Dominguez, South Gate, Walnut Park, and Willowbrook Park.


Types of Law Handles

LASOC/CLS practice many types of civil matters. Our case selection priorities include support for family; preserving the home; maintaining economic stability; safety, stability, and health; populations with special vulnerabilities. Therefore, examples of cases that we have taken include Unlawful Detainer defense, housing voucher issues, bankruptcy or consumer rights issues, welfare or disability income issues, family law, and the like. We do not guarantee acceptance of any case. These case types also do not preclude acceptance of cases outside of these parameters. Cases we do not assist with include: criminal, business, or immigration. Exceptions may be made for immigration matters relating to domestic violence, human trafficking, or other U-Visa or VAWA issues.

Mission Statement: Community Legal Aid SoCal helps our neighbors fight injustice by providing compassionate, high quality legal aid and advocating for stronger communities.