FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 8, 2019

Contact: Valerie Lescroart, Communications Director, (510) 302-2215

ALAMEDA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION ANNOUNCES NAME CHANGE

Legal Access Alameda

OAKLAND, CA— On January 1, the Alameda County Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Corporation (VLSC), announced that they will now be known as Legal Access Alameda.

“We’re simplifying our name to better reflect our goal – creating access to our legal system,” said CEO Tiela Chalmers. “At Legal Access Alameda, we hold the same commitment to bridging the justice gap for those in our community who cannot afford an attorney. We strongly believe that a person’s access to justice should not be determined by their income.”

New Name, Same Commitment to Closing the Justice Gap

Legal Access Alameda relies on the support and commitment of the volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law school graduates to hold over 30 legal clinics in a month in the areas of family law, bankruptcy, guardianship, housing and more.  We will eschew acronyms, and be known for short as “Legal Access.”

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About Legal Access Alameda

Legal Access is the pro bono arm of the Alameda County Bar.  We provide free legal services to low-income people in Alameda County and is one of the largest providers of pro bono legal services in the county. Legal Access is governed by an independent Board of Directors.

Legal Access organizes trained volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law school graduates in monthly legal clinics to aid low-income people in need of critical services – services such as ensuring a child has a safe and stable home, shielding a patient from financial ruin, or protecting a parent’s right to custody and visitation. We also run the Bay Area Legal Incubator, which mentors and supports attorneys opening up community-based practices offering low-fee legal services for people with modest means.  For more information about Legal Access Alameda, please visit www.legalaccess.org.