Rachanee Srisavasdi, "Bankruptcies, Foreclosures Send Folks in Search of Free Legal Help," The Orange County Register (CA), April 20, 2009

The Orange County Register states: "[LSC funded] Legal Aid Society [of Orange County] - as well as the Public Law Center - report that more and more individuals . . . have spiraled into poverty and are now coming to their clinics seeking help. Dozens of other legal nonprofits statewide also attest to increased demand. 'We have more foreclosures, we have more everything,' said Bob Cohen, executive director of the Legal Aid Society. 'We've never seen this need. Families are falling apart because they have no money.' At the center, there has been a 337-percent increase in the number of clients seeking help with their foreclosures, and a 135-percent rise in foreclosure cases from 2006-2008. The wait time on the center's hotline has risen from eight minutes to a 45-minute wait - forcing the center to hire three more staff members to help answer hotline calls. As for the Public Law Center, the nonprofit reports a 67-percent increase in cases handled through its twice monthly bankruptcy clinic in the past year . . . . The need is reverberated throughout other legal aid-groups in the state. There are 100 legal nonprofits in California - many of which are seeing increased need because of the economy, according to Stephanie Choy, managing director of the State Bar's Legal Services Trust Fund program, which provides money to such groups."