Nearly every Thursday night since 1999, the Voluntary Legal Services Program has operated a free legal clinic to help the indigent with their employment related problems. The problems are varied and include: wrongful termination, employment discrimination, harassment problems, wage and hour claims, family and medical leave issues, unemployment insurance denials and workers' compensation matters. The purpose of the Employment Law Clinic is to empower and educate economically disadvantaged workers about their rights and responsibilities.

The Employment Law Clinic has an effective and unusual structure. Law students, primarily from UC Davis, interview the clients to obtain the facts needed to evaluate the clients' issues. The students then present the case to a small group of volunteer attorneys who collaborate to provide an analysis and course of action for the client. The law student then conveys this information back to the client, along with informational handouts and forms or a possible referral to a VLSP pro bono attorney for further handling of the client's case.

This format allows VLSP to serve a larger number of clients at the Employment Law Clinic than we could otherwise given the limited number of volunteer attorneys present at each Clinic. It also allows for lawyers with varying subspecialties within employment law to contribute to a suggested course of action for a client. Newer attorneys gain the advantage of learning from more experienced attorneys, and law students learn about employment law and gain interviewing skills.

VLSP has been very fortunate to have a core group of volunteer attorneys at the Employment Law Clinic for some years. These lawyers have been essential to the continued success of the Employment Law Clinic and we are very grateful for their support. If you would like to join them, please contact Alysa Meyer, VLSP Staff Attorney for the Employment Law Clinic at (916) 551-2106.

VLSP also welcomes the referral of low income clients with employment-related problems. Please feel free to refer those clients to VLSP's Client Intake Line at (916) 551-2102.

The Voluntary Legal Services Program is a Certified United Way Agency and seeks your direct donations through the California State Employees Charitable Campaign and the Combined Federal Campaign. VLSP's Agency number is 7505. Thank you for your consideration.

September/October 2006