About Us

We are committed to providing you with the best service possible.

Welcome to our Website 

Currently, FRLS has 7 offices, with a staff of 70 including 25 attorneys specializing in Elder Law, Employment, Economic Stability, Housing and Farm-Worker Law. We also provide high quality services in such areas as Public Benefits, Civil Rights and Family Law. Each year FRLS handles thousands of cases.

The CD’s were an elderly couple facing foreclosure. He suffered from cancer and she was undergoing a kidney transplant. They did not understand the terms of their adjustable rate mortgage and sent inadequate payments to their mortgagee. When they came to FRLS they were already in default. We assisted in setting aside the default and with an application for a mortgage modification. After negotiations, we were successful in helping them to save their home.

EF
 had worked in agriculture all his life until he developed pulmonary problems and lost a lung. He was no longer able to work and became homeless. FRLS intervened because he was denied disability benefits. We gathered medical evidence and took his case to a hearing. We won his case and he now receives monthly benefits, plus a retroactive check for $15,880. He has rented a new apartment and is now getting needed medical care.

GH
was elderly and disabled and living on a small Social Security check. He came to us when his bank account was seized in a garnishment proceeding in order to pay a past debt for medical bills. FRLS defended the seizure, citing federal law that protects Social Security benefits. We were successful and the garnishment was dissolved. GH could again pay his utility bills.

IJ
and her three children were forced to flee from an abusive spouse who had physically tortured them with beatings, burnings, and locking them out of their home. They arrived at FRLS homeless and without income. We assisted IJ in obtaining an injunction for protection as well as temporary child support. With our help, she now has a new apartment and her children are enrolled in new schools. We are now assisting with a divorce.

Some of our Accomplishments

In the past year we were able to achieve many good results for our clients. A partial list of some of the cumulative benefit amounts from 2010 is as follows:

•  Social Security benefits . . . . . . . $626,400

•  Unemployment benefits . . . . . . . $812,847

•  Child Support . . . . . . . $675,237

•  Food Stamps and Welfare . . . . . . . $108,966

•  Back wages and employment . . . . . . . $71,117

• Garnishments avoided . . . . . . . $111,619

•  Medicaid and Medicare . . . . . . . $19,963

•  Alimony . . . . . . . $9,000

Our firm closed almost 5,700 cases for low income families in 2010, and provided free legal information and education on a wide range of topics to over 20,000 people.