Our team 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.
We address 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.
Our team 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.
Since its inception, Public Counsel has relied upon the generous donation of pro bono services from lawyers, legal professionals, and law students as the keystone for our model of delivering free legal services to low-income communities.
Do you need medical or dental care but can’t afford it? Are you thinking about making payments or signing up for credit? Be careful! Medical or dental credit cards can...
All individuals who file a chapter 7 bankruptcy must take two courses to receive a discharge of their debts: Credit Counseling and Personal Financial Management. This guide will help you...
If there isn’t a court form for what you need to file in your bankruptcy case, you will need to write your own court papers on pleading paper. The first...
Our team 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.
We address 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.
Our team 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.
Since its inception, Public Counsel has relied upon the generous donation of pro bono services from lawyers, legal professionals, and law students as the keystone for our model of delivering free legal services to low-income communities.
Do you need medical or dental care but can’t afford it? Are you thinking about making payments or signing up for credit? Be careful! Medical or dental credit cards can...
All individuals who file a chapter 7 bankruptcy must take two courses to receive a discharge of their debts: Credit Counseling and Personal Financial Management. This guide will help you...
If there isn’t a court form for what you need to file in your bankruptcy case, you will need to write your own court papers on pleading paper. The first...
Public Counsel’s Community Development Project has designed this form Bylaws for a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation to assist nonprofit organizations drafting and revising bylaws and the pro bono attorneys who represent them. The form is annotated with explanatory endnotes, including citations to applicable laws. An editable word version of the text of the bylaws is also available.
This publication was updated in May 2023 and includes suggested language and provisions for organizations that want diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals and practices reflected in their bylaws.
A shorter version of the bylaws was added in November 2024 for organizations that want a simpler document.
The Trump Administration has issued a handful of executive orders aiming to curtail Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies and programs. These orders have implications for private sector organizations that...
Como propietario de una organización sin fines de lucro o una empresa pequeña, es crucial que conozca sus derechos y responsabilidades en la eventualidad de que funcionarios de control de...
“I have been a colleague and co-counsel with Kathryn for over a decade,” said Mark Rosenbaum, Senior Special Counsel for Strategic Litigation at Public Counsel. “By her experience and vision, she is uniquely qualified to lead Public Counsel to end the disparities created by poverty and racism that divide Los Angeles and California into communities of haves and have-nots. Kathryn is the most brilliant and innovative strategist I have worked with in over a half-century of practice. With her leadership, Public Counsel will be to economic liberties and rights what the ACLU is to civil liberties and rights.”
Judy Verduzco
“I’m delighted to welcome Kathryn as our new President and CEO,” said Judy Verduzco, director of social work at Public Counsel. “Kathryn deeply appreciates the unique skillsets that social workers bring to our legal practice, which build our capacity to embed trauma-informed principles in our work, benefiting both our clients and staff. She is committed to sustaining and growing our interdisciplinary advocacy model in order to continue delivering holistic and effective legal services. Kathryn also recognizes the impact of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout on staff. Public Counsel has prioritized staff wellness, offering activities such as full-day wellness retreats, guided mindfulness and meditation classes, and virtual yoga classes. Kathryn is committed to fostering a healthy workplace for all by supporting activities that promote staff wellness and working toward building a comprehensive framework for workplace wellness across the organization.”
Roman Silberfeld
“As a longtime Public Counsel supporter, I couldn’t be more excited about the choice of our new leader, Kathryn Eidmann,” said Roman Silberfeld, a partner at Robins Kaplan LLC and past Chair of the Board. “Kathryn will ably fill the shoes of our distinguished past CEOs, and, more than that, she will without any doubt exceed the accomplishments of her predecessors because of the unique qualities that she brings to her new role. Most notably, Kathryn is an excellent lawyer who has guided many of the important and groundbreaking cases that Public Counsel has brought. And, great leadership is most often exemplified by setting a great example for those whom one has the privilege to lead. Kathryn will, and always has, set a great example of being a person of high moral values, of distinguished service, and of great vision about the important issues of our time that affect the communities that we serve. Kathryn has always been a voice for those communities and, as CEO, will surely make even greater strides to deliver justice, hope, and opportunity.”
David Johnson
“I couldn’t be more excited about Kathryn’s selection as Public Counsel’s new president and CEO,” said David Johnson, founder of Act 4 Entertainment and past Chair of the Board. “Kathryn is a brilliant and dedicated lawyer who has been instrumental in achieving groundbreaking victories across multiple aspects of our work. Kathryn has had an extraordinary focus on a number of areas, particularly education. She understands the importance of integrated litigation, communications, movement building, and advocacy strategies. Kathryn is deeply respected by our supporters, board, staff, and community, and she is a thoughtful and inspiring leader. Additionally, she has been actively involved in civic life, including serving as vice president of the library board. Kathryn is not only a great professional but also a great friend. At this point in our country’s history, Public Counsel’s impact is critically important. I am delighted that, after an extensive search, we have selected one of our own. Kathryn Eidmann is an extraordinary advocate for civil and economic rights and will drive positive change for our community and for our country.”
Bruce Cormicle
“Kathryn knows what is right and what is just. Even more importantly — she knows how to achieve it,” said Bruce Cormicle, secretary of the Board and owner of his own law firm. “A brilliant strategist – she sees moves and outcomes well in advance. I’ve seen her argue a case in the Ninth Circuit with unparalleled command, control, and charm. Kathryn’s authenticity and passion for public interest work shine through in everything she does. She is a natural leader who brings people together effortlessly and will hit the ground running on day one. It is a spectacular moment for Public Counsel and for the clients that we serve.”
