About Us

How We Work

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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Resource Library

Popular Resources

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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...

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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...

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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...

Learn More

How We Work

See All

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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

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. 

Learn More

Popular Resources

See All

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...

Learn More

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...

Learn More

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...

Learn More

Right to Literacy

Overview
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Literacy is the basic building block of education – it gives students access to knowledge and the ability to communicate with the world. It is the gateway to all other skills. Literacy allows young people to pursue higher education and get good jobs, and become full participants in our democracy.

Education experts and researchers agree that developing the literacy necessary to succeed in the twenty-first century requires not just the skill to decode letters and words, but the ability to read and write to access knowledge and communicate with the world. Literacy development is progressive and cumulative, and evidence-based instruction is required throughout the primary and secondary years in order to attain the level of functional adult literacy necessary to function as an adult in our modern society.

Litigation

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.

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L.T. v. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Immigrants’ Rights

01/26/26

J.O.P. v. DHS

Immigrants’ Rights

07/01/19

Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem

Immigrants’ Rights

07/02/25

Perez-Funez v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Children’s rightsImmigrants’ Rights

01/24/84

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.

See All