We have several substantive law units in our law firm. Here are the areas of law we serve and what we do in those areas. H O U S I N G • Defending homeowners facing foreclosure • Preventing homelessness by defending against unlawful eviction and termination of housing benefits • Enforcing fair housing laws to remedy discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, familial status, and disability • Taking action to ensure that the landlord make necessary repairs to provide tenants with decent and safe housing E L D E R L A W • Helping seniors defend their legal rights, preserve their safety net, and ensure their respected place in the community • Representing seniors in a comprehensive range of legal issues, including landlord-tenant disputes, consumer protection issues and mortgage problems • Helping and executing advanced directives and appointments of conservators and guardians • Protecting seniors from abuse and neglect E M P L O Y M E N T • Protecting laid-off workers' unemployment benefits to help them and their families avoid homelessness, hunger, and financial disaster • Helping workers overcome legal barriers to a job, such as a criminal record or driver's license • Enforcing workers' rights to a safe workplace, free from discrimination and retaliation • Recovering workers' hard-earned wages when unlawfully withheld by unscrupulous employers F A R M W O R K E R R I G H T S ( H - 2 B ) • Representing migrant and seasonal workers in employment matters related to violations of farmworker protections and minimum wage laws • Helping workers who are victims of discrimination and violent crimes • Obtaining safe and sanitary housing for workers • Educating workers about their rights and getting them the minimum protection they are entitled to under the law F E D E R A L I N C O M E T A X • Assisting with lien removals which improve clients' credit • Representing parents and grandparents in cases where the other parent improperly claims children as dependents on tax returns • Negotiating for forbearance or reduction of clients' debt owed to IRS • Correcting record for ID theft victims and helping obtain refund • Disputing false income claims by employers which eliminate tax debt F A M I L Y • Ensuring safety, stability and security for families • Correcting or establishing a birth certificate to allow persons to work, vote, and receive pensions • Establishing custody or adoption to ensure that a child has a stable home and allows the custodian to make medical and education decisions • Obtaining visitation so that children have quality time with parents • Securing child support and alimony to alleviate the need for public resources • Keeping children out of the foster care system and in stable families P U B L I C B E N E F I T S • Obtaining and maintaining income for disabled and low-income families • Protecting the rights of the poor and disabled at home and on the job • Helping the poor and disabled afford food and medical care • Assististing clients in self-sufficiency planning • Partnering with other community organizations to reach and educate the low-income population E D U C A T I O N • Securing a good education - a key to breaking the cycle of poverty and improving the workforce and quality of life • Preparing students to be competitive for the best jobs and achieve the American dream • Ensuring that children with special needs are identified early and receive appropriate help and resources in order to succeed • Helping families that struggle with homelessness keep their children in school C O N S U M E R • Averting and reverting auto repossession to ensure that people can attend work, school, doctor appointments and other necessary life affairs • Helping individuals dealing with credit card and student loan debt • Enforcing contracts, warranties and public utilities rights of clients. • Providing a fresh start through bankruptcy so people are able to reorganize and stabilize their family's financial situtation • Educating the public about consumer laws V E T E R A N S • Helping disabled Veterans secure VA benefits • Providing legal information at legal clinics for veterans • Assisting veterans with discharge upgrades • Helping widows and children of veterans obtain survivor benefits • Educating veterans and their famililes on their rights and options F E D E R A L I N C O M E T A X • Prevent or minimize income disruption due to IRS Levies • Dispute IRS Audits through administrative and Court proceedings • Protect innocent spouses from tax underpayments of ex-spouses • Provide assistance to victims of preparer fraud and identity theft E M P L O Y M E N T • Help survivors of human trafficking expunge their criminal record • Fight wage theft and recover wrongfully withheld wages and benefits • Protect workers' rights to a safe workplace free of illegal discrimination • Appeal the wrongful denial of workers' unemployment benefit claims E L D E R L A W • Protect our elderly against abuse, neglect and exploitation. • Educate on and prepare advanced directives • Advise clients and educate the public regarding legal capacity, supported decision-making, guardianships and conservatorships. F A M I L Y • Stop generational cycles of vioclence • Save children from the effects of domestic violence • Collect child support from parents who are not paying it • Promote visitation when it is beneficial to the child H O U S I N G • Protect clients from unwarranted eviction and homelessness • Ensure that clients have access to decent, safe, and affordable housing • Combat housing discrimination • Protect and preserve homes and assets in the estate process. M E D I C A L - L E G A L P A R T N E R S H I P • Improve GHS patients' health through an integrated, holistic approach that directly addresses and removes patients' health-harming civil legal barriers. • Provide training to health care staff to be able to identify and refer patients with legal needs F A R M W O R K E R S • Educate the migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) on their employment rights • Educate MSFWs on occupational and health safety • Provide and facilitiate access to legal assistance for victims of crimes and labor trafficking P U B L I C B E N E F I T S • Obtain, maintain and increase income and benefits for low income families, including survivor's benefits, disability benefits, unemployment benefits, food stamps, veteran's benefits for disabled veterans. • Ensure access to healthcare for low income South Carolinians, including Medicaid and Medicare. C O N S U M E R • Enforce consumer protection laws, • Prevent and address creditor harassment and predatory lending • Protect clients' ownership of homes and vehicles • Provide financial empowerment tools and information E D U C A T I O N • Ensure access to education • Assist with securing timely evaluations and ensuring the special needs of children are met while at school • Assist relatives with school enrollment of children living with them BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT issues such as help with expungements, criminal history and ID docucments. DEBT COLLECTION defense and other consumer protection rights including bankruptcy petitions. EDUCATION cases such as school discipline, enrollment, bullying and special education. EMPLOYMENT law including wage claims, unemployment compensation, and wrongful termination. FAMILY law including divorce and domestic violence. FEDERAL TAX problems such as innocent or injured spouse relief, filing status, earned income tax credit appeals, liens and levies. HOUSING issues such as foreclosure, eviction, public and federally subsidized housing, homeownership, discrimination and heirs' property. MIGRANT FARMWORKERS' employment conditions and work safety, relief through wage claims, discrimination and rights of H2 workers. PUBLIC BENEFITS matters including veterans' benefits, Social Security, SSI, and SNAP. PROBATE ASSISTANCE with conservatorship, guardianship, wills, living wills, powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney.