In celebration of National Library Week at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library the Temecula Law Resource Center hosted a Free Legal Clinic on April 12, 2016 from 10am-2pm. The clinic highlighted the growing need for legal assistance in the community. Patrons had a wide variety of legal questions ranging from family law, estate planning, landlord/tenant and many more areas of law. The attorneys who volunteered for the free legal clinic were Barak Berlin, Marie Wood, Anita Milner, Andrea K. Shoup, Jeffrey Nickerson, Michael Bender, Allison Tilton, Edward Miller, Stuart Wald, Rachel King, and George Granby.

This free legal clinic would not be possible without the support of local attorneys in the Temecula/Murrieta area. The ongoing relationship with the Southwest Riverside County Bar Association has allowed for the library to spread word to the local attorneys about our upcoming events. I want to thank the bar association for the continued support of the legal clinic and Temecula Law Resource Center.

The legal clinic had its best effort participation of 41 patrons as well as 11 attorneys. Highlighting the growing need of attorney services in the area. There were 31 completed surveys and all of them answered that “Yes” the clinic was helpful, the attorney who they talked to was knowledgeable and able to answer their questions and lastly they would recommend the clinic to family and friends. So many of the surveys included comments of gratitude for the legal clinic and the tremendous help they received from the attorneys.  

The participants also provided valuable information as to how they heard about the free legal clinic. About half of the participants saw the legal clinic flyer at their local library in Temecula, Murrieta, and Lake Elsinore. The rest of the survey participants heard about that event at the Southwest Justice Center Self Help Center, Murrieta Head Start, Valley News, or were referred by a friend. Thank you to everyone that helped spread the word of the clinic. 

The free legal clinic is the result of the partnership between the Riverside County Law Library and the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library. Riverside and Temecula Library staff helped to answer questions about the event and signed up those interested in participating. Lastly, I want to thank my volunteers for the clinic Ming Lu and Amalia Wood. The growing success of the clinic would not be possible without attorneys and volunteers giving back to the community. Thank you so much.

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