Mission Statement
Community Lawyers, Inc. aims to increase legal service delivery in underserved areas by mentoring and training lawyers and paralegals to serve low- and moderate- income clients and their communities.
Community Lawyers, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that has been classified as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
Community Lawyers, Inc.'s 2008 Summer Interns
History
Community Lawyers, Inc. was incorporated in California as a nonprofit corporation in May 2005 by R. Vanessa Alvarado and Luz E. Herrera. Community Lawyers, Inc. was formed to formalize mentoring opportunities for first-generation pre-law and college students to expose them to opportunities in, and challenges of, the legal profession and the needs of low- and moderate-income clients.
The precursor to Community Lawyers was an informal internship program facilitated by Luz E. Herrera in her law office for young lawyers, law students and college students interested in going to law school. Between May 2002 to May 2005, approximately a dozen new and future attorneys sought Ms. Herrera's assistance for work and practical experience.
Although still in its infancy, the organization seeks to create a pipeline for quality, ethical and affordable attorneys who are responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.
Board of Directors
R. Vanessa Alvarado is co-founder, Treasurer, and also a board member of Community Lawyers, Inc. Mrs. Alvarado graduated from Stanford University in 1996 and UCLA School of Law in 2001. She has worked at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, Watsonville Law Center, the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice and the Learning Rights Law Center as an Equal Justice Works Fellow. Currently Mrs. Alvarado works as an attorney for the City of Los Angeles. Ms. Alvarado grew up in Escondido, California.
Contact: ralvarado {at} community-lawyers {dot} org*
Monique C. Chavoya is our newest member of the board. She graduated from Smith College in 2002 and completed a masters of arts in Urban Planning at UCLA in 2006. Ms. Chavoya's interest in community development has landed her positions as a city council field representative, a fellow at the Greenlining Institute, and a project manager at the East Los Angeles Community Corporation. She is currently works on affordable housing projects at McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. Ms. Chavoya grew up in Pico Rivera, California.
Contact: Forthcoming
Luz E. Herrera is co-founder, President, and a board member of Community Lawyers, Inc. She graduated from Stanford University in 1995 and Harvard Law School in 1999. From 2002 to 2008 she operated a private law office in Compton, California. She has clerked with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office and Southwest Voter Registration Education Project. Ms. Herrera is currently an Assistant Professor of Law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego after teaching at Chapman University School of Law and completing a clinical fellowship at the Legal Services Center at Harvrd Law School. Ms. Herrera grew up in Whittier, California.
Contact: lherrera {at} community-lawyers {dot} org*
Araceli M. Lerma is a board member and interim secretary of Community Lawyers, Inc. She graduated from Occidental College in 1995 and Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley in 1999. Between college and law school Ms. Lerma returned to her alma mater, Garfield High School, to teach. She has worked at the private law firms of Barbosa Garcia LLP and Herzog, Fisher, Grayson & Wolfe. Ms. Lerma is past president of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association n Los Angeles and is currently in solo practice in Paramount, California. She grew up in East Los Angeles, California.
Contact: alerma {at} community-lawyers {dot} org*
*When emailing us, please use the "@" and "." symbols in our email addresses.