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Loeb Partners With Inland Counties Legal Services to Support LGBTQIA+ Communities
On Oct. 17, Loeb hosted its fifth Advance Health Care Directive (AHCD) pro bono legal clinic for four LGBTQIA+ individuals who are clients of Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS), a nonprofit legal aid organization providing free legal services to people of limited financial means in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California. Loeb alumnus Matt Kugizaki, the pro bono director at ICLS, and L Orozco, staff attorney and LGBTQ+ service program coordinator at ICLS, hosted the training. An AHCD outlines medical preferences and designates someone to make medical decisions when a person loses the ability to communicate. For the LGBTQIA+ community, it can document an individual’s gender identity and expression—from the pronouns they use to any deadnames to avoid—and make sure they have the right people making decisions for them.
During consultations with the clients, the pro bono lawyers offered guidance on AHCDs, emphasizing their importance in relation to gender identity. In addition, the volunteers counseled the clients on selecting an agent for their AHCD and aided in preparing the necessary documents.
This clinic was pleased to have Loeb alumna Meredith Siller, co-founder and therapist at Relational Associates, in attendance as a volunteer.
“It was incredibly meaningful to join this clinic as a Loeb alumna and support LGBTQIA+ clients with essential planning for the future,” Meredith noted. “Working alongside passionate lawyers and staff from Loeb and ICLS to empower individuals in making decisions aligned with their identities and wishes was inspiring. I’m proud to be part of an effort that helps ensure everyone has access to vital legal resources.”
Loeb’s ACED-LA Hosts Expungement Clinic for Individuals With Prior Convictions
In celebration of the American Bar Association’s 2024 National Celebration of Pro Bono, Loeb’s ACED-LA affinity group, which focuses on supporting the recruitment, retention and development of lawyers of color at the firm, hosted an in-person Expungement Clinic with ICLS on Oct. 23. The clinic supports individuals with prior convictions in navigating the record-clearing process, helping to ensure that past mistakes don’t restrict future opportunities, including access to housing, employment and professional licensure.
The clinic began with a training session led by ICLS staff, including Loeb alumnus (and former ACED-LA member) Matt Kugizaki and staff attorney Tatiana Owens, after which pairs of pro bono volunteers conducted intake interviews with prospective clients to screen for eligibility, gather necessary information and provide guidance on next steps. Four teams, comprising nine Loeb lawyers, are moving forward to assist four clients.
Stepping Up for Election Protection and Poll Worker Advocacy
From August through Election Day in early November, Loeb lawyers volunteered at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law’s nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline, assisting callers with questions about voting, including deadlines, absentee/mail-in voting, and in-person early and Election Day voting.
Through the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance’s Voting Rights Working Group, Loeb partnered with the Election Official Legal Defense Network in September for a training session on providing legal guidance and representation after the conclusion of the election in November to election officials and poll workers who faced harassment or intimidation related to their election duties.
Additionally, in August, five Loeb volunteers collaborated with the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance’s Voting Rights Working Group on a research project to enable lawyers nationwide to serve as poll workers on Election Day. The group enlisted volunteers from multiple law firms to compile a 50-state survey outlining the requirements and procedures for becoming a poll worker. This comprehensive resource is accessible to all firms partnered with the Alliance, including Loeb, which researched the requirements for poll workers in Tennessee and Louisiana.
Morgan Stanley, Loeb and HIAS Team Up to Support Refugees
Eighteen Loeb volunteers teamed up with 15 lawyers from firm client Morgan Stanley on Sept. 26 to kick off a virtual pro bono clinic focused on Adjustment of Status applications. This process allows individuals to apply for lawful permanent resident status in the U.S. (the process by which individuals receive their green card). The ongoing clinic will support 11 refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, all clients of HIAS, a Jewish humanitarian organization founded in 1881 that aids refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people globally.
The virtual clinic kicked off with a CLE training led by HIAS about applying for Adjustment of Status, followed by initial team meetings. A total of 10 pro bono teams are moving forward, and each team is expected to spend 10 – 15 hours over a few months to prepare the Adjustment of Status applications for the 11 clients.
For more information on Loeb’s Pro Bono program or to collaborate on a pro bono matter, please contact Meredith Madnick, the firm’s pro bono director.