Our Mission and Vision
The mission of SLO Legal Assistance Foundation is to provide legal services and resources to people in need.
Our vision is legal access for all.
Our History
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1992
Incorporation
San Luis Obispo County Legal Alternatives Corporation (SLOLAC), a California non-profit corporation was formed in 1992, by a group of attorneys determined to provide access to legal services to the under served community.
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1993
Initiated Programs
SLOLAC starts the TRO Clinic for victims of domestic violence, the Volunteer Legal Services Program and the Conflict Resolution Program of the Central Coast.
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1996
Area Agency on Aging Grant
SLOLAC is awarded the grant from Area Agency on Aging to provide legal services for seniors in San Luis Obispo County.
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2001
Creative Mediation Services Named
Conflict Resolution Program's name is changed to Creative Mediation Services
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2001
Volunteer Legal Services Program
SLOLAF created the Volunteer Legal Services Program, matching needy clients with pro-bono legal services.
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2002
Creative Mediation Services Spin Off
Due to the success of the program, SLOLAC helps Creative Mediation Services spin off and become an independent non-profit organization.
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2002
Volunteer Legal Services Program Spin Off
Volunteer Legal Services Program is spun off and taken over by the SLO County Bar Association.
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2005
Women's Shelter Program Collaboration
In collaboration with the Women's Shelter Program, SLOLAC expands the Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic to include other family law legal services to limited income self-represented litigants.
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2009
Judge Hilton - Seitz Award
Retired Judge and SLOLAC volunteer, Honorable Douglas Hilton, is bestowed the Seitz Award in recognition of his volunteer work for SLOLAC in the areas of foreclosure and loan modification
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2012
Carsel - Seitz Award
SLOLAC board member, John Carsel, is bestowed the John Seitz award by the SLO County Bar Association and designates SLOLAC as the non-profit to receive a donation in honor of his award.
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2014
Annual Fundraiser Begins
In light of funding cuts and a growing elderly population, SLOLAC holds its first annual fundraiser, a barn gala at Greengate Ranch in Edna Valley to fund its expansion.
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2014
Executive Director Hired
To facilitate continued growth of client services, SLOLAC hires its first Executive Director, prominent local attorney, Stephanie Barclay.
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2014
Veterans' Grant Collaboration
SLOLAC enters into a partnership with Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo to provide legal services to homeless and at-risk veterans in their Supportive Services for Veteran Families program made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
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2015
Name Change
To highlight it's charitable mission, SLOLAC changed its name to San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation ("SLOLAF").
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2015
Legal Assistance for Victims Grant Collaboration
SLOLAF enters into a partnership with the Women's Shelter Program to provide legal supervision and support for its Legal Assistance for Victims grant that it received from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
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2015
Ernst - Seitz Award
SLOLAF supporter, Don Ernst, is bestowed the John Seitz award by the SLO County Bar Association and designates SLOLAF as the non-profit to receive the $1,000 donation in honor of his award.
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2016
Senior Citizen Program of the Year
Senior Legal Services Project is nominated for Senior Citizen Program of the Year, an award sponsored by Central Coast Commission on Senior Citizens & Area Agency on Aging
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2017
YPNG Partner Organization
SLOLAF is chosen as the Young Professionals Networking Group's non-profit partner for 2017-2018.
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2017
Helping Hundreds of Families in Need
Today, SLOLAF helps hundreds of San Luis Obispo County families who are in need of legal services.