Know Your Rights—Immigration Resources

How We Work

Direct Services

Public Counsel provides free direct legal services and support or matches clients with pro bono advocates, ensuring they have a partner standing with them, their families, and our communities as they pursue justice.

Policy Advocacy

Public Counsel addresses the root causes of inequities in our society by advocating for inclusive policy solutions in collaboration with grassroots coalitions and the communities most impacted by systemic oppression.

Impact Litigation

Public Counsel files strategic impact litigation so entire communities get the justice they deserve. By setting legal precedents and challenging unjust laws, our cases spark large-scale change in our society.

Pro Bono Partnerships

Since its inception, Public Counsel has relied upon pro bono attorneys, law students, paralegals, and other legal professionals to partner with us to support clients, take on high-impact cases, and strengthen our advocacy efforts.

Social Work Integration

Public Counsel values an interdisciplinary approach to law and social work that strengthens trauma-informed legal advocacy and advances effective outcomes across its work.

Popular Resources

Toolkit

04/03/26

Newcomer Student Education Rights

This toolkit is designed to inform advocates (attorneys and non-attorneys) about the education-related rights of newcomer and undocumented immigrant children, how to assert those rights, and what to do if...

Guide

02/17/26

What is the Meeting of Creditors?

Once you file your bankruptcy, a Bankruptcy Trustee will be assigned to your case and a Meeting of Creditors will be scheduled. This guide will provide general information to help...

FAQsGuide

02/10/26

Know Your Rights as a Child Care Business

This Know Your Rights guide explains California child care providers’ legal authority to control access to their facilities, including who may enter, when recording is prohibited, and how to respond...

How We Work

Direct Services

Public Counsel provides free direct legal services and support or matches clients with pro bono advocates, ensuring they have a partner standing with them, their families, and our communities as they pursue justice.

Policy Advocacy

Public Counsel addresses the root causes of inequities in our society by advocating for inclusive policy solutions in collaboration with grassroots coalitions and the communities most impacted by systemic oppression.

Impact Litigation

Public Counsel files strategic impact litigation so entire communities get the justice they deserve. By setting legal precedents and challenging unjust laws, our cases spark large-scale change in our society.

Pro Bono Partnerships

Since its inception, Public Counsel has relied upon pro bono attorneys, law students, paralegals, and other legal professionals to partner with us to support clients, take on high-impact cases, and strengthen our advocacy efforts.

Social Work Integration

Public Counsel values an interdisciplinary approach to law and social work that strengthens trauma-informed legal advocacy and advances effective outcomes across its work.

Popular Resources

Toolkit

04/03/26

Newcomer Student Education Rights

This toolkit is designed to inform advocates (attorneys and non-attorneys) about the education-related rights of newcomer and undocumented immigrant children, how to assert those rights, and what to do if...

Guide

02/17/26

What is the Meeting of Creditors?

Once you file your bankruptcy, a Bankruptcy Trustee will be assigned to your case and a Meeting of Creditors will be scheduled. This guide will provide general information to help...

FAQsGuide

02/10/26

Know Your Rights as a Child Care Business

This Know Your Rights guide explains California child care providers’ legal authority to control access to their facilities, including who may enter, when recording is prohibited, and how to respond...

Home > Consumer Rights & Economic Justice > Fraud & Unfair Business Practices

Fraud & Unfair Business Practices

Overview

Our Experts

Directing Attorney‚ Consumer Rights & Economic Justice

Lisa “Lili” Tamaki

Supervising Attorney

Ghirlandi Guidetti

Senior Staff Attorney

Fraudulent and unfair business practices devastate individuals, families, and communities—especially those already experiencing financial hardship. Public Counsel’s Consumer Rights team protects consumers from scams, deceptive financial deals, and exploitative practices that target people of color, immigrants, low-income communities, elders, and people with disabilities. We provide legal help in cases involving real estate fraud, financial elder abuse, auto financing scams, predatory lending, and more—holding bad actors accountable and helping communities work towards financial stability.

See Get Help below to apply for support.

Get Help

Services

Are you facing fraud, real estate scams, or other unfair practices? We may be able to help.

To apply, complete our online [CLOSED] or call our intake line: [CLOSED]. After you complete your intake, our staff will review your request and contact you to discuss next steps.

The Latest

Our staff work with clients and partners to identify patterns of injustice that impact and harm the communities we serve. Through strategic litigation, we effect large-scale change and systems reform while amplifying the power of affected communities and advancing public discourse.

California Provides a Lifeline to Homeowners Burdened by PACE Loans [Update, June 2025: Program has Ended]

Stories

02/24/24

California Provides a Lifeline to Homeowners Burdened by PACE Loans [Update, June 2025: Program has Ended]

Victory! Hard-Won Settlement Secures Change to LA’s Towing Policy and Provides Compensation to Cancer Survivor.

Stories

02/25/22

Victory! Hard-Won Settlement Secures Change to LA’s Towing Policy and Provides Compensation to Cancer Survivor.

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