Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) welcomes cy pres awards. (Cy pres means "next best use" in Latin.) Cy pres awards allow unclaimed settlement funds from class-action suits to be distributed to organizations that are most likely to benefit or pursue the interests of the class.
Because it benefits those most likely to be unrepresented or underrepresented in the justice system, LSNC is an appropriate recipient of cy pres funds. The work of LSNC benefits the broader society by ensuring that the justice system itself remains fair and equitable.
Cy pres awards will fund direct services to LSNC’s low-income individuals and families who face urgent civil legal problems. These problems affect basic needs such as food, shelter, employment, healthcare, and family safety.
LSNC helps families put food on the table; keep a roof over their heads; and find access to affordable health care. The organization has a multi-dimensional service delivery system which employs the efficiencies of telephone hotlines, self-help advocacy through counseling, clinics, pro se materials, and community legal education, in addition to direct representation both in court and at administrative hearings. LSNC engages in creative collaborations with other legal services programs, community organizations, and government agencies, including court-based in pro per assistance.
Please keep us in mind when directing a cy pres award. For further information, please contact our Development office, at (916) 551-2135.