Harriett Buhai Center For Family Law

I wish I had a better experience. Everyone was very welcoming and were ready and willing to help, but I waited to be seen 6 hours (10am-4pm) only for them to tell me they couldn't help me. I wish they would have told me at the beginning so that I didn't have to waist a whole day. Especially because I had to pay someone to babysit.

Nice and helpfull staff. Really hear you out.

I have volunteered at the Center for going on 15 years. The Center provides highest quality legal assistance to low income Californians who have great needs to help them navigate the family law court system in order to achieve a fair, just and equitable resolution in their legal matters. The Centers highly qualified staff attorneys and other employees and their network of volunteers in the community provide the highest level of legal care and services. Their mission is devoted to removing barriers, and facilitating access, to the family law justice system.

HBFLC is a well run organization that depends on a host of volunteers. The organization has a relatively easy way of plugging in and helping on as much of a frequent basis as your schedule allows. The work they do is much needed and is a great resource.

The Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law is uniquely effective among legal services non-profits because of its disciplined approach to the acceptance of new clients. The Buhai Center is a dream rescuer for economically disadvantaged clients who meet the case selection criteria; it is also a philanthropic donors dream, and it meets the fondest wishes of those who dispense publicly funded grant monies or private foundation funds that their monies be awarded only to an organization that delivers the greatest bang for the buck. I base my statement on more than 40 years of very close observation of non-profit service organizations, private corporations, and public institutions, including time spent as a volunteer attorney at the Buhai Center.Buhai conducts domestic violence and family law outreach programs at community colleges, schools and for law enforcement, in custodial settings like the womens jail. This reflects a dedication by Center management and staff to raise consciousness about legal rights and remedies, to the personal empowerment for those who have been through horrific and debilitating life experiences, and to crime prevention by illuminating the legal ways of addressing the consequences of domestic violence.Volunteers are put through a rigorous training program under the tutelage of experienced Buhai staffers. Training includes specific interviewing techniques to develop the facts of the case presented and to determine the appropriate remedy, child custody law, community property fundamentals and a step-by-step guide to family court. Not every client seeking representation for a child custody, parentage or dissolution case is accepted. Acceptance depends on the client meeting strict income guidelines and, among other criteria, being a victim of domestic violence in the relationship or the victim of an attempt by one spouse to defraud the victim of community property rights in a pension or retirement fund or other community property. This happens more often than we like to admit in long-term marriages where one spouse has stayed home to raise the children while the other spouse works for an employer sponsoring a retirement fund or pension. Clients with developmental disabilities or other disadvantages are another category of applicant that Buhai looks for. Buhai focuses on clients in Los Angeles County and runs self-help clinics for the clients whose cases it accepts. Clients are shown how to correctly and accurately prepare the complex legal forms required to obtain a dissolution decree, including a property settlement and custody and visitation agreements or court orders that is in the best interest of any minor children of the relationship. The clients are interviewed, for the most part by volunteer lawyers and law students who have been put through the Buhai Centers tough training program. A report is written and carefully evaluated by the Centers senior staff and management before a decision is made. Particularly complex cases are referred to legal counsel in private practice with expertise in the area who work on a pro bono basis. Buhai works closely with private specialist litigation and appellate attorneys and with the Department of Child Support Services and other community-based agencies and service organizations that the client may be involved with; the goal is the cost - effective and focused delivery of legal services to the client and any children who may be involved. The many testimonials and tributes from clients throughout Los Angeles County as well as a range of community leaders, governmental agencies and elected officials are evidence of the success of Buhai Center and its management and staff for the implementations of and effective non-profit business plan.I am proud to have had the honor of being associated with the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law

The Center has a great mission, and an impressive commitment to protecting the legal needs of those who are not always serviced. Clients are taken on under the careful care of many staff attorneys and volunteers regarding complex legal matter, and the Center always seeks to empower such clients.

The Harriet Buhai Center does not take all cases. It is a volunteer run, non profit organization that carefully vets (and trains) its volunteers and vets the cases it takes on. Thats why not everyone who applies for assistance is accepted and may leave disgruntled ... Those who do receive help will find that they receive expert resources for free.

There is no other nonprofit law firm that represents those who would otherwise not receive justice in our legal system due to lack of funds. For over 30 years, the Center takes on family law cases that no one else can handle. It is am amazing place and grateful to be able to volunteer for the important work to be be done.

I've had the pleasure of volunteering with the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law for the past 4 months (prior to that, I was a student intern for 3 months). The entire staff--from reception to senior staff attorneys--is wonderful. I've had the privilege of witnessing everyone's hard work and dedication from behind the scenes, and it is nothing short of inspiring. I plan on continuing to volunteer here throughout the rest of my legal career!

They have assisted me tremendously so grateful for them

They don't help black PEAPOLE

Would not lesson very rude and condescending HATES men

Ive had a wonderful experience volunteering here, the staff is incredibly nice and knowledgeable.

I've been searching for help for the longest, finally after devastating times found this office through a friend. When I went in, its a Nice environment, don't get me wrong the receptionist was nice and the office felt warming like they cared so I was happy and comfortable hoping i came to a good place. I didn't even wait that long like 30 min the most after all the paper work was complete, which was nice. And THEN, i was called by a Civil Lawyer Volunteer not a Family law attorney. But i read the website it looked legit. No, so I greeted her, she said nothing. We go in and she is filling out this questionnaire. I go about my story and she interrupts me and asks me 'what do you want' as i looked at her is confusion, I kind of had a idea, I mean I came to you for advice and drove all this way (not in those exact words but I am upset as I'm typing.) Then she gets up and tells me she's going to ask a family law lawyer about whats going on (at this time I am nervous, this is the first time I sat in a office in this way.) she comes back and says we can't help you but ill give you advice, I was listening to her. Then I brought up and continue my story crying saying what about this and what about that and so on. making me feel like i have no hope. So she looks at me gets up again and says let me see now because now its different................... WHAT........ I'm sorry, I came to u for u to rudely interrupt me, cut me off, and say u can't help me and then when I continue u wanna try and help. I'm busting out in tears and she told me UR CHANGING UR STORY ......Ummmm NO LADY you didn't let me finish. SO the website in my case is a LIE the volunteers do NOT know what they are doing. And IN THIS SITUATION MY CHILD CUSTODY MATTER is far more important to be in someones hand that doesn't know much. Right after I Called another place out of YELP, Which I should have done from the beginning would of saved me 3 HRS of my time and they are representing me like that over the phone after I told them what happened. BE ADVICE THE CONSULTATION WILL TAKE ALL DAY if they care. DON'T GO HERE OR CATCH THEM ON A GOOD DAY BECAUSE I DIDNT.

Isabelle is a horrible representation for the Harriett Buhai center. She is rude and a poor listener. What an awful experience. One star for answering the phone.

Horrible front desk reception, cold hearted attorneys, no true desire to help do what's in the best interest for children (and this includes the safety and well being for children.) All in all please do not waste your time.Seek elsewhere.

Free legal advice if you qualify

Help for the economically and romantically distressed divorces