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Dear EBCLC Friends and Supporters,
2005 was another exceptional year at EBCLC. A record number of law students working under the supervision of staff attorneys served thousands of clients with legal needs related to housing, employment, income, health care, civic participation and economic development. In addition to many exciting program achievements, we also moved forward on important infrastructure developments during the year.
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EBCLC was founded in 1988 to advance justice and combat poverty by providing critical legal services to the low-income community and clinical education to law students. With 125 students each year working under the supervision of 14 lawyers, EBCLC is the largest provider of free legal services to the poor in the East Bay and Boalt Hall's largest clinical offering.
EBCLC is recognized as one of the premier poverty law clinics in the country. EBCLC has received local, state and national awards for its dual teaching-service mission and its emphasis on innovative, multidisciplinary practices driven by client and community need.
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Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) — Volunteer Clinic
From February through April, as a member of the United Way's Earn It! Keep It! Save It! Coalition, EBCLC operated a clinic providing free tax assistance to help clients take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit as a member of the. Students and other IRS-trained volunteers assisted 150 clients with tax returns, resulting in more than $140,000 in refunds for working families in our community.
Welfare Reform Bill of Rights — Legislation
With dozens of partners statewide — including client-based advocacy groups — EBCLC has undertaken a multi-year effort to support families trying to make the transition from welfare to work. This spring EBCLC staff and students played a central role in crafting a welfare "bill of rights" that was introduced by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber of Mountain View to assist benefit recipients who are penalized unfairly for playing by the rules.
Rent Razors Case — Class Action
With co-counsel from the law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein and the Public Interest Law Project, EBCLC filed its first-ever class action alleging systematic violation of the state's security deposit law by a management company renting to low-income tenants. In late September, the class was "certified," paving the way for EBCLC to recover long overdue relief for some of our most vulnerable clients.
Non-Partisan Voter Registration Project — Civic Engagement
In partnership with the San Francisco Foundation, EBCLC conducted a non-partisan voter registration project to encourage and expand civic engagement by our clients in the November elections. Low-income citizens historically have been underrepresented in electoral politics, and their voices are often not heard on issues that have a profound impact on their lives.
HIV/AIDS Immigration Project — Immigrant Integration
A project within EBCLC's HIV/AIDS & Health practice, this initiative provides vital legal assistance to immigrants with HIV, allowing them to come out of the shadows and gain access to life-prolonging care and treatment. In partnership with the Family Care Network and La Clínica de la Raza's ALMAS (Alianza Latina en Marcha contrA el SIDA) program, in August EBCLC published a Spanish-language brochure on HIV & Immigration issues.
Clean Slate Clinic — Community Reentry
Launched in May, the Clean Slate Clinic provides legal information and assistance at the Alameda County Courthouse Self-Help Center to people with non-violent criminal records. In collaboration with the courts, the District Attorney, the Public Defender, the Probation Department and community-based organizations, the goal of the project is to reduce recidivism and promote societal reintegration by removing civil barriers to jobs, education, housing and civic participation for people who have paid their debt to society.
Central Station/Wood Street Project — Equitable Development
Working alongside labor, environmental and neighborhood groups in West Oakland, and with pro bono assistance from the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, EBCLC has helped advance community goals, including: 1) preservation of an historic train station; 2) affordable housing; and 3) sound environmental practices. It is critical for the community voice to be heard in major development projects that will shape our physical, economic and environmental landscape for decades to come.
Workers Rights Collaborative — A Regional Approach
With an unprecedented 3-year commitment of cy pres support made available by the law firm of Alexander, Hawes & Audet this spring, EBCLC helped launch a four-agency collaborative providing workers' rights clinics and other coordinated services throughout the Bay Area. The other partners include the Legal Aid Society-Employment Law Center, the Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center at the Santa Clara University School of Law, and the Women's Employment Law Clinic at the Golden Gate University School of Law.
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New Affiliation Agreement with Boalt Hall
Effective July 1, EBCLC entered into a renewed affiliation agreement with Boalt Hall that is one of the most robust of any such university-community partnership in all of legal education. The agreement will ensure that EBCLC remains the community centerpiece of Boalt's vibrant and growing clinical program for many years to come.
"Building for Justice" Campaign
On October 15, EBCLC launched a $3.25 million campaign to acquire its own home. The new site will allow us to enroll more students, serve more clients and increase our long-term stability. To date, we have secured lead commitments of more than $2.25 million toward the campaign from all sectors of our donor community.
Pro Bono Attorneys
This was a breakthrough year for EBCLC in terms of leveraging private sector resources on behalf of low-income clients and community groups. More than 100 lawyers and law firms provided pro bono services to EBCLC's clients, ranging from limited individual assistance at clinics to extensive representation on large cases.
Growth in Unrestricted Support
EBCLC has continued to pursue increased unrestricted support as part of a long-term strategy to enhance fiscal stability and to ensure programmatic flexibility in response to emerging community needs. The growth has come primarily from individuals and law firms, including several generous cy pres distributions.
Pro Bono Consulting
Stone Yamashita Partners (SYP), a prestigious San Francisco consulting firm, selected EBCLC as its pro bono client in 2005. SYP is providing $250,000 in free creative services to help EBCLC promote its work within and among important stakeholders.
Quarterly eNewsletters & Improved Website
This was the first full year of our quarterly eNewsletters, an efficient way to communicate with our constituents about developments at EBCLC. Our most recent newsletter was released in the new SYP-developed format. With the help of SYP, we also implemented a website upgrade in October.
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With the continued help of our constituents, stakeholders and partners, we will remain on the forefront of innovative, effective advocacy on behalf of clients and communities in need.
For more information, including ways to support EBCLC, please visit our website at www.ebclc.org.
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