Kazan Law, I am proud to tell you, is one of a handful of regional law firms just recognized by the Alameda County Bar Association as a 2013 Guardian of Justice.
The Guardians of Justice is a program that tries to make sure the scales of justice remain in balance. Economic inequality in the US is at an all-time high. Repercussions in the Bay Area are glaringly steep. The drop in public and private funding for legal services has left disadvantaged citizens on their own to navigate a complex and costly legal system without desperately needed resources and assistance.
A local nonprofit legal group called the Volunteer Legal Services Corporation (VLSC) stepped in and started the Guardians of Justice program as a way to try to give lawyers and law firms a chance to help those at risk who do not have the means to pay for legal representation.
Last year, with the funds they raised, the Guardians of Justice program helped more than 1,000 low-income and disadvantaged individuals get access to legal help they could not otherwise have afforded.
Kazan Law is proud to be part of the Guardians of Justice program. Here are some of the services they provide:
- Monthly clinics in the areas of family law, domestic violence, bankruptcy, debt collection defense, guardianship, immigration, and landlord-tenant disputes.
- Pairing of clients with qualified pro bono attorneys who handle complex pro bono cases.
- Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance to volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law school graduates.
“As leaders in the legal community, we must ask ourselves what kind of justice system do we desire? Do we want to maintain a system only available to a select few, or do we wish to support one that protects all community members equally?” VLSC asks on its website. At Kazan Law where we advocate for the rights of people exposed to asbestos through the negligence of often big and powerful interests, we clearly support a legal system that protects all community members equally.