Students Assist Rural Seniors
February 09, 2012
University of San Francisco School of Law students assisted low-income seniors on a OneJustice trip to the rural towns of Orosi and Earlimart in Tulare County.
USF law students assist at a senior legal clinic in Tulare County. Photos by OneJustice, 2012.
Low-income rural Californians, especially the elderly, often face financial, geographic, educational, language, and technology barriers that can prevent them from obtaining legal services.
During the January trip, eight USF student volunteers helped more than a dozen seniors prepare Advance Health Care Directives and simple wills. Lindy Gligorijevic, former Tulare County district attorney investigator of elder abuse cases, and Superior Court Judge Lloyd Hicks also spoke with the students on practicing law in rural areas and working with seniors.
“When law students volunteer with OneJustice, they gain real-world skills, increased empathy, and become committed to making the world a better place,” said Candace Chen, Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps legal fellow.