Community Counsel

PROBATE and ESTATE PLANNING

Our Probate and Estate Planning Program helps individuals and families plan for the future, protect their autonomy, and navigate complex legal transitions with clarity and dignity. We provide compassionate, community-centered legal support that empowers people to make informed decisions about their health, finances, and legacy while preventing avoidable crises. We offer comprehensive estate planning services grounded in the belief that planning ahead is an act of care. Every adult benefits from core documents such as Advance Health Care Directives, Powers of Attorney, and Wills, which ensure wishes are honored and trusted decision-makers can step in when needed. We also assist with trusts, beneficiary designations, and psychiatric advance directives to provide long-term stability, protect vulnerable loved ones, and preserve generational wealth. For families facing housing insecurity, we help untangle title issues, update deeds, and preserve homeownership so individuals can remain rooted in their communities. When greater legal support is needed, we guide families through conservatorship options with compassion and clarity. This includes Limited Conservatorships for adults with developmental disabilities who need support in specific areas while maintaining independence, and General Conservatorships when someone can no longer manage their personal or financial needs. In cases involving severe mental health concerns, we provide education and referrals related to LPS Conservatorships. Our approach centers dignity and least-restrictive alternatives, ensuring families understand all available options. We also expand access to justice through probate education and court partnerships. Our Probate Note Clearing Workshops help self-represented individuals understand court requirements, resolve probate examiner notes, and move cases forward efficiently. By combining education, direct legal services, and community outreach, the program reduces trauma, prevents displacement, and ensures families can navigate life’s most difficult transitions with confidence and support. At its core, this program is about more than documents or court processes — it is about protecting autonomy, preserving stability, and giving individuals and families peace of mind for the future.

LITIGATION

This program advances housing stability, disability justice, and educational equity for low-income individuals and families across Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. Through a combination of direct services, community education, and impact litigation, we work to remove systemic barriers and protect the rights of people most often pushed to the margins. Our housing advocacy focuses on removing legal obstacles that prevent people from securing or maintaining stable housing. We help resolve public benefits denials that can block access to housing opportunities, including income supports and housing vouchers. We also advocate for reasonable disability accommodations in both short- and long-term housing, and represent shelter residents facing unlawful practices such as denial of due process, unsafe conditions, or disability discrimination. This work includes challenging practices like unlawful vehicle towing that strip individuals of essential shelter, property, and independence. Beyond individual representation, we pursue strategic impact litigation to protect civil rights and expand access to justice. Our cases address issues such as criminalization of poverty and homelessness, property rights violations, restoration of critical public benefits, and protecting nonprofit service providers that deliver essential support to unhoused communities. By holding institutions accountable, we seek durable, systemic change. The program also includes a robust special education advocacy initiative that ensures every child has access to a free and appropriate education. We empower families through workshops, pro bono clinics, and direct advocacy, including support in IEP and 504 plan processes, school discipline matters, and due process complaints. Our goal is to equip parents with knowledge, provide meaningful representation, and ensure students receive the services and accommodations they need to succeed. At its core, this program reflects our belief that stability, dignity, and opportunity are interconnected. By addressing housing insecurity, disability discrimination, and educational inequities together, we help individuals and families build safer, more secure futures while advancing broader systems change.