CCLP connects directly with the community to provide necessary services and help disadvantaged people seek justice. They even the playing field and ensure that the powerful are accountable.
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— Jonathan Harriman, Esq., Board of Directors member
I am delighted to stand with the Coalition of Concerned Legal Professionals (CCLP). CCLP is a world-class organization, made up of attorneys, paralegals, law students, and laypersons who together ensure that legal recourse is not just a promise on paper but a reality in people’s lives. Their mission — to bridge the gap between law and justice for low-income workers, to ensure access to counsel and to challenge policies that marginalize people because of their economic or minority status — is one I believe in deeply. CCLP affirms that those directly affected by injustice must have a leading role in shaping solutions, not merely be subjects of them.
In San Francisco and beyond, environmental justice issues are not abstract. They emerge in polluted neighborhoods, in communities burdened by toxic sites, in people living downwind of freeways or struggling with contaminated water. CCLP’s work reflects this reality: they have taken on collective action cases on behalf of underserved workers, including farmworkers whose rents in state-subsidized migrant camps were illegally doubled by the State of California. With the aid of hundreds of volunteer attorneys and organizers, CCLP not only won back overcharges with interest but also ensured improvements to the camps, with decisions and priorities set by the workers themselves.
What impresses me most is how CCLP combines law and humanity: they walk the neighborhoods, engage with people who are often ignored, educate them about their rights and work alongside them. Their volunteer legal advice, their class-action successes, their refusal to accept funding that would compromise their independence — all of this makes them not only credible, but also deeply rooted in the communities they serve.
By supporting CCLP, we support accessible environmental justice: healthier air, cleaner water, safer housing, dignity for workers and a society in which justice is not dependent on how much you know or how much you earn. I strongly endorse CCLP, and I believe their work exemplifies what “legal professionalism” can and must be: compassionate, fearless, scientifically informed and accountable to the community. CCLP exemplifies every one of these characteristics necessary to effectively fight battles to protect the poor from the deadly consequences of inaction. I predict CCLP will ultimately win the war on pollution and thus merits the unconditional support of all.
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— Kevin B. Williams, CCLP supporter
Especially in our world today, I applaud CCLP for its continuing efforts to have a full and honest discussion about what is going on around us! I agree with many of the articles that it publishes, but find them both to be enlightening as well as full-bodied. So thank you CCLP for what you are doing, and please keep up the Good Work!
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— Judge James P. Gray (Ret.) Superior Court of Orange County, California, CCLP contributor
The work in which CCLP engages represents the best in hands-on justice. From the advocacy on behalf of those denied legal representation to the training in organizing of those who are disenfranchised and voiceless, from advice and counsel provided by attorneys, to people in distress, to the educational programs highlighting local and national issues affecting low income populations, the professionals who donate their time, energy and resources in these pursuits are among the finest evidence of human compassion.
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— Pastor Dan Solberg, Saint Paulus Lutheran Church, San Francisco
As an attorney and proud member of CCLP, I’ve witnessed how CCLP’s collective organizing empowers working people and the most vulnerable in our society to claim the justice they deserve.
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— Salomon Zavala, Esq.
CCLP has been instrumental in protecting Tribal Elder Housing security in San Francisco by committing staff resources to finding solutions. Thank you for helping me successfully keep my housing based on your vital assistance.
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— Deni Leonard, Native Tribal Elder
The legal advice sessions are very well organized. I get to watch great lawyers work and develop my professional skills.
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— Erika McDonald, Certified Paralegal and Volunteer Advocate
I like that every person who attends these sessions leaves with something — whether it’s a clear next step, a referral or practical advice on how to move forward.
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— Jacqueline Mertz, RN, Esq.
The advice I got from the attorneys and the assistance I got from the advocates gave me the confidence so that I know now how to present myself.
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— Legal Advice Session attendee.
It's rare to see someone win the full amount in small claims court, but it's incredibly rewarding to help someone stand up for what's right.
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— Michael Chambers, Esq., Board of Directors member
The session was outstanding! I got a plan of action and I can’t wait to put it into action!
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— Legal Advice Session attendee
CCLP is a beacon of hope for those seeking to change their communities and ultimately the world through organizing. I’m grateful to have found them some years ago.
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— Myles Davis, Board of Directors member