Oct. 30, 2010

UCLA Law Students' Commitment to Community Rewarded

On October 28, UCLA honored law school program El Centro Legal Clinics, a group of student organized volunteer legal aid centers throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Recognized for their enduring commitment to low-income and underrepresented communities, El Centro received the inaugural award from UCLA Government and Community Relations during a ceremony at City Hall. El Centro began as an experimental academic program in Santa Monica, designed to focus on and serve the Latino community, but expanded in geographic and legal scope, covering issues such as homelessness, HIV/AIDS, immigration, domestic violence, and juvenile justice at clinics throughout Los Angeles. Its success may be due in part to its popularity; nearly two-thirds of each first-year class has joined as volunteers since it was founded in 1973. Students get practical, hands-on experience, while the community benefits from pro-bono legal aid.