Stories

At CRLA, we are deeply grateful for our pro bono partners who help support our mission of dismantling unjust systems through community lawyering. In honor of National Pro Bono Week, we are spotlighting a couple of our pro bono partners who have graciously donated their time and efforts to achieving a just and equitable world where all communities prosper.  

CRLA is not changing our community lawyering approach, the legal issues we address, or the clients we serve. But we are making strategic changes so we can fulfill our mission on a reduced budget.

The County of Monterey recognized CRLA’s Indigenous Justice Program for our legal services and advocacy on behalf of Indigenous communities in Monterey County and throughout rural California.

From the fields of the Central Valley to the stars, Dr. José Hernández's journey embodies the spirit of perseverance and pride we celebrate this Hispanic Heritage Month. Listen as he shares his recipe for success, offering a roadmap for dreamers across generations. 

In Sonoma County, where immigrant and low-income communities face systemic barriers and are pushed out of their homes, denied wages, and cut off from public benefits, our Santa Rosa office steps in and serves the community in housing, employment, education, and public benefit legal issues.

Continue reading to learn from Fernando Torres, CRLA Community Worker, on how our team fights for justice in California everyday.

Immigrants build safer and more prosperous communities. But the SCOTUS ruling in Noem v Vasquez Perdomo allows discriminatory practices targeting them, and erodes civil rights for all Americans.

California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) and pro bono partners will host a free legal clinic for eligible Santa Barbara County residents for criminal record expungement on August 29, 2025 from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. 

Learn what it's like to be a Law Student Summer Intern at CRLA and how you can bring more law interns and fellows to rural California. 

Learn what it's like to be an Undergraduate Summer Intern at CRLA and how you can bring more interns and fellows to rural California. 

Last week's federal raids on California farms destroy families and communities, waste our public resources, and scare many more workers away from upholding their civil rights.

Rural communities partner with Stanford student, Santa Clara University Water and Climate Justice Lab to document their clean water advocacy

CRLA commemorated the Supreme Court victory that banned the use of “El Cortito” 50 years ago, a short-handled hoe that forced agricultural workers to stoop over all day long. This was a victory on many fronts – agricultural workers’ health, the farmworker rights movement, and a critical moment in CRLA’s legal advocacy and community lawyering.