What We Do

Since 1956, Legal Services of Northern California (LSNC) has provided free quality legal services that empower the poor to identify and defeat the causes and effects of poverty.

Our Services | Programs | Priorities

Legal Services of Northern California serves 23 counties in Northern California with eight office locations in Sacramento, Auburn, Chico, Eureka, Redding, Ukiah, Vallejo and Woodland. We invite you to contact your local LSNC office for more information about our free services available in your area.  

We help with the following types of cases:

We do not help with the following types of cases: 

  • Personal injury
  • Criminal defense
  • Divorce and child custody

We also have the following special programs focusing on the legal needs of specific populations in need:

LSNC’s service priorities include the following:

Preservation of housing

Assisting clients with the creation and preservation of low-income housing, tenants rights, evictions and lock outs, foreclosures, quality of housing, mobile homes, mitigation of homelessness, termination of utilities, unsafe housing, and lost of shelter because of natural disasters.

Health Care

Helping clients addressing legal issues affecting their access to health care, community participation in health planning, hospital services, Medi-Cal (Medicaid), dental care, long-term care in nursing homes, and the cost of health care.

Enhancing economic stability

Providing legal help with problems in areas of unemployment benefits, wage claims, wrongful termination, discrimination, job training and placement, education for adults and children, preventing job loss, driver’s license reinstatement, debt collection defense, obtaining and preserving necessary public benefits, job creation, consumer rights, and community economic development.

Support for families, family safety and stability

For example, assisting clients in need with obstacles they face about child care, child support, child welfare, troubled youths, preservation of the health and safety of the family unit, home and community, domestic violence, as well as other family law issues, such as simple wills and probate.

Civil Rights

Addressing discrimination against poor people, people of color, women, children, persons with disabilities, elderly and limited English-speaking persons, access to courts, right to counsel, self representation, defense in civil actions and Native American issues

Education

Assisting low-income clients with school expulsions, especially for students of color; individualized education plans for students with disabilities; and implementation of school funding formula changes for low-income and minority districts.

Serving populations with special vulnerabilities

For example, seniors, persons with physical and mental disabilities, limited English-speakers, immigrant populations, persons with limited education, persons who are geographically isolated, and persons discriminated against because of race, culture, sexual orientation or gender identity.