OUR MISSION IS TO GIVE LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS ACCESS TO CIVIL LEGAL COUNSEL > Give Now
Family Facing Race and Housing Discrimination Finds Support

We were so thrilled to find a house to rent we could afford. But when we turned in our first check and got the keys, the landlord said she was happy to rent to a "nice white couple" and not some "dirty Mexicans."

Read more >


The Next Step.

Participate

If you've already donated to SVCLS, you're probably ready to step up to hands-on involvement.  Consider chairing a SVCLS fundraiser, such as our annual Bocce Ball Tournament, joining our Amicus Committee, or volunteering with SCCBA Probonomatch.org.  We are in particular need of bilingual volunteers.  Legal experience is not necessary. Consider listing your skills in our volunteer database.

Discover what your colleagues and neighbors have found-that involvement with SVCLS improves the lives of those at most risk in our community.  When they do better, we all do better.

Learn more how you can participate:

Amicus Committee

  • The Amicus Committee is a dynamic group of young lawyers dedicated to building a new generation of enthusiasm and financial support for the legal services agencies serving Silicon Valley. The Amicus Committee provides visibility for and support of SVCLS within law firms, corporations and government agencies, and hosts social and networking events throughout the year, including its popular Bocce Ball Tournament and Mixers.

Mix & Match: Making Pro Bono Connections.

  • Join judges, general counsel and firm legal leaders for this annual spring event.  Receive MCLE credit and gain insight into your personal involvement in pro bono.

Volunteer with SVCLS-Sponsored Agencies

  • There is a great need for volunteers at the legal services agencies SVCLS supports. Our agencies need assistance from attorneys, paralegals and other professionals in the areas of legal representation, in-take, administrative support, event support and management, and real estate acquisition. Register to Volunteer. There is an acute need for bilingual attorneys and volunteers. The communities we serve speak more than three dozen different languages. Several hours of your time can make a huge difference for a client or family in need. Join the Language Bank.

SCCBA Probonomatch.org

  • SCCBA Probonomatch.org provides a searchable database for attorneys to find pro bono opportunities with local legal service providers. Probonomatch.org is a project of the Santa Clara County Bar Association as part of its Pro Bono Initiative: Helping Lawyers Help Others. The Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Service is a partner in the Pro Bono Match project with Fenwick & West; Intel, Inc.; Hewlett Packard and several others.

ABA Model Rule 6.1 Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service Opens in a new window

  • Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay.  A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year. Because the provision of pro bono services is a professional responsibility, it is the individual ethical commitment of each lawyer. Nevertheless, there may be times when it is not feasible for a lawyer to engage in pro bono services. At such times a lawyer may discharge the pro bono responsibility by providing financial support to organizations providing free legal services to persons of limited means. Such financial support should be reasonably equivalent to the value of the hours of service that would have otherwise been provided.