About Us

How We Work

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Direct Services

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.

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Policy Advocacy

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.

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Impact Litigation

We pursue groundbreaking legal strategies that promote economic and social justice for low-income communities and communities of color across the nation.

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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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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...

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Report

01/28/26

Who Has The Power: Chronicling Los Angeles County’s Systemic Failures to Educate Incarcerated Youth

Los Angeles County officials often dismiss concerns raised by and on behalf of young people, claiming that the education-related issues for detained youth are not systemic. This report seeks to...

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GuideToolkit

01/24/26

Ensuring Family Connection: A Guide to Representing Parents in Probate Guardianships

Probate guardianships are often treated as private custody disputes, yet in practice they can resemble quasi-dependency cases—with serious and lasting consequences for parents, including suspension of parental rights and loss...

Learn More

How We Work

See All

Direct Services

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.

Learn More

Policy Advocacy

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.

Learn More

Impact Litigation

We pursue groundbreaking legal strategies that promote economic and social justice for low-income communities and communities of color across the nation.

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

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

Report

01/28/26

Who Has The Power: Chronicling Los Angeles County’s Systemic Failures to Educate Incarcerated Youth

Los Angeles County officials often dismiss concerns raised by and on behalf of young people, claiming that the education-related issues for detained youth are not systemic. This report seeks to...

Learn More

GuideToolkit

01/24/26

Ensuring Family Connection: A Guide to Representing Parents in Probate Guardianships

Probate guardianships are often treated as private custody disputes, yet in practice they can resemble quasi-dependency cases—with serious and lasting consequences for parents, including suspension of parental rights and loss...

Learn More

Nonprofits

Form 990 Policy and Memo

08/02/22

Form 990 Series – Document Retention Policy and Memorandum

  • Joel S. Corwin
    Law Offices of Joel S. Corwin

Download as PDF

This memorandum includes a sample document retention and destruction policy for tax-exempt organizations, as well as a discussion of the legal rationale and background for the policy and considerations for implementation. An editable word version of the policy is also available. This policy and memo, designed for legal counsel advising tax-exempt organizations, are part of the Form 990 Policy Series, which was developed by a group of lawyers practicing nonprofit law in order to assist nonprofits in addressing the Form 990 governance questions.

Similar Resources

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Nonprofits

03/03/25

FAQs on Responding to Recent DEI Executive Orders

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...

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NonprofitsSmall BusinessesTenants rights

02/25/25

Template California Commercial Lease Agreement

Template commercial lease for nonprofits and small businesses

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Economic JusticeImmigrants' RightsNonprofitsSmall BusinessesWorkers Rights

01/30/25

Preguntas Frecuentes sobre los derechos de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro y las empresas pequeñas con respecto a la Oficina de Control de Inmigración y Aduanas

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...

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