Inland Counties Legal Services

Advocates for Justice, ICLS's annual fundraiser and volunteer recognition event, is just one week away! If you won't be able to join us in person, you can still participate in our silent auction, bid on unique experiences, and support access to justice. Get your last-minute tickets, bid on baskets, and support access to justice in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The auction opens today, Oct. 16, and closes during the event on Oct. 23! Register now for free: https://lnkd.in/gza-77ZM

Inland Counties Legal Services is honored to award the Pride Bar Association of the Inland Empire as its Community Partner of the Year, for working toward a safer, more inclusive future for LGBTQ+ residents and professionals. The Pride Bar Association was launched earlier this year to focus on LGBTQ+ inclusivity, education, and mentorship, giving LGBTQ+ attorneys, legal staff, and allies a place to belong. Many of the people who helped create the Pride Bar Association have personal experiences reflecting the unfortunate reality that the legal profession has historically been, and still can be, very challenging for LGBTQ+ professionals to navigate. “While I’m thankful for the many supporters I’ve had throughout the years, I’ve also faced my share of discrimination and hostility. As a new attorney, I was told by my former firm’s managing partner I wouldn’t be welcome at my firm if I was gay,” explained Pride Bar President, Dean McVay. “I don’t want anyone to feel the sting of discrimination that I’ve experienced, and I hope Pride Bar will be a place to address these challenges for our community and the next generation of legal professionals.” Read more about our #AdvocatesforJustice Community Partner of the Year on our blog: https://lnkd.in/gf9MQiJ3

Congratulations to our former Law Clerk and 2024 Rural Summer Legal Corps Fellow, Levi Colonna-Bevis, on becoming Equal Justice Works 2025 Design-Your-Own Fellow! On this project, Levi will continue to make an impact addressing legal and health disparities among people living with HIV in California’s Inland Empire — one of the CDC’s priority regions in the national effort to end the HIV epidemic. Sponsored by Fenwick & West LLP and hosted here at ICLS, Levi's Fellowship builds on the experience and inspiration gained during his Student Fellowship, where he identified community needs and developed innovative solutions to expand access to justice and healthcare. Read more about Levi's project and experience at: https://lnkd.in/gdhnsC3R #FellowshipSpotlight #AccessToJustice #LegalAid

October 10th is #WorldMentalHealthDay, and today, we join the global effort to support mental health awareness, educate our communities, and break the stigma surrounding mental health. At ICLS, we recognize that access to justice and mental wellness go hand in hand. Our work often connects us with individuals facing overwhelming legal and personal challenges—and we know that caring for mental health is essential for both our clients and our staff. #MentalHealthMatters every day. 💚

A heartfelt thank you to the Richard T. Fields Bar Association for inviting us to your beautiful Installation & Sneaker Ball! We are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate alongside so many dedicated partners and community leaders working to make a difference. Your commitment to advancing diversity, equity, & inclusion in the legal profession inspires us, and we are honored to be part of such an impactful evening full of great conversation, music, and fashion! #RTFBA #Installation #SneakerBall #Community #Justice #LegalProfession

Levi C. Bevis grew up in rural Alabama, where he saw how limited access to legal services can hold communities back. That experience led him to law school and, ultimately, to the Rural Summer Legal Corps (RSLC) Fellowship with Inland Counties Legal Services (ICLS). Now, as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, Levi is building a project to connect people living with HIV to essential services, fight discrimination, and empower communities through legal advocacy. His story shows how passion and persistence can create real change for those who need it most. Read about his journey:

Thank you to everyone who joined us and the RCBA Barristers in Riverside last week at our happy hour! Your energy, conversations, and support made the evening such a success. We’re grateful to share space with a community that cares so deeply.

At ICLS, Diana Villarreal works tirelessly as part of our intake team to ensure everyone has access to justice, regardless of financial situation. Growing up in a low-income family herself, she knows firsthand how crucial legal support can be—and loves guiding clients toward the help they need. When she's not supporting clients as an intake specialist, you can find her roller skating on the beach, trying new coffee shops, traveling, or taking kickboxing classes. Thank you for all the incredible work you do day-in and day-out, Diana! #StaffSpotlight #LegalAidHeroes #AccessToJustice

We are proud to share that our Executive Director, Tessie Solorzano, Esq., has officially graduated from the IEHP Foundation's Fundraising Cohort! Over 7 weeks, this intensive training brought together local nonprofit leaders to sharpen skills in donor development, major gifts, and individual fundraising. Guided by experts Lisa Wright of Green Parakeet LLC and Launa Wilson Consulting, participants gained hands-on coaching, role-play practice, and strategies to better cultivate donor support for community impact. 👏 Congratulations to our ED and all the incredible leaders who completed this program — investing in stronger fundraising means investing in stronger communities!

Inland Counties Legal Services is proud to announce René Kathawala as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year -- for his leadership in the pro bono community across the country and his incredible impact on ICLS’s pro bono program. As Pro Bono Counsel for Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, René has worked alongside ICLS’s Pro Bono team to build pro bono opportunities for Orrick’s attorneys and corporate clients to help those in need. Thanks to his efforts, Orrick has become one of ICLS’s standout pro bono partners in protecting vulnerable communities, strengthening community organizations, and ensuring justice isn’t dependent on a person’s ability to pay. “René exemplifies the best the legal industry has to offer,” Pro Bono Director Matt Kugizaki said. “His impact on our program and programs like ours across the country are a resounding reminder of the difference one person can make for those in need.” Read more about René's impact: https://lnkd.in/gaccdEhT Join us in celebrating René at Advocates for Justice: https://lnkd.in/gza-77ZM