Navigating a legal maze

Cal Northern School of Law’s Chico clinic is providing no-cost legal advice available through April

By Sam DeLong

At some point in your adult life you might need to seek legal advice — but the cost, lack of information, or simply not knowing where to start can all stand in the way and be intimidating. Cal Northern School of Law’s Chico campus is helping bridge that gap with their Legal Self-Help Clinic held every Thursday eve through April 23. It offers no-cost, legal self-help information to community members who are unsure where to turn.

Dean and Cal Northern School of Law President Sandra Brooks explains, “It’s an opportunity for the law school to help the community, while helping law students gain experience working with clients.” The program is staffed by law students under the direction of a licensed attorney, with each case assigned to two or three law students. For a person with an active family law, small claims, or residential dispute case, information may be available to both parties. The service provided by Cal Northern School of Law is a legal how-to, and the attorney provided by the school is a neutral party who does not represent either side — meaning legal protections such as attorney-client privilege do not apply.

The two licensed attorneys, Starla Knight and Jody Peterson, have been leading the clinic for the past two years and previously attended Cal Northern School of Law. Knight and Peterson also previously worked in the legal field at SHARP (Self-Help Assistance Referral Program), which has locations in Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties. Knight explained that she worked at SHARP for 25 years, and it was there that she met Peterson.

Knight and Peterson appear to be a good team. “I rely on a lot of her legal expertise,” Peterson says. “She has been doing this a lot longer than me — but we are equals.” During Thursday night sessions, Knight oversees the in-person law students and clients, while Peterson works with a combination of the same, in-person and also online, connected through Zoom. Non-English-speaking clients must bring an interpreter. While the clinic offers information on a variety of cases, many fall into family law, given the broad spectrum of issues that category can include — everything from custody disputes and visitation to domestic violence and marriage dissolution. Dean Brooks also notes that the program cannot assist anyone who has an active case with Child Protective Services.

Because the attorneys are not formally representing clients, advice can be given to both sides in a dispute. Knight and Peterson stress that discussions during the clinic is informational only and should not be considered legal counsel. The terms of what can and cannot be offered are explained in a disclosure form given to anyone who comes into the clinic.

“It has happened — a family law case would come into both the school and SHARP,” Peterson says. “We have had litigants from both sides of the table sitting next to each other. We would put each side in separate rooms for safety and their own comfort.”

At a recent Thursday session, four to five law students were present in person, waiting to assist community members. In addition, five more law students joined via Zoom, supported by two large screens and a ceiling-mounted camera. One client, unsure where to turn, was assisted by two students who helped him determine which forms to review and complete. Knight confirmed the information provided and, after reviewing the disclosure form, reminded him that clinic attorneys are not legally permitted to accompany clients to court.

Cal Northern School of Law was founded in 1983 by a group of judges and practicing attorneys who sought to bring an evening law school to the North State area. It currently is the only law school located between Sacramento and the Oregon border, with more than 400 graduates serving the region. The Self-Help Legal Clinic has been operating since 2015 and is offered every spring semester. The clinic was originally designed as a class for law students but has evolved into also an in-person source of legal information in the community.

Cal Northern School of Law will run the clinic every Thursday eve from 7pm–8:30pm through April 23. For more information, visit their website or call Sandra Brooks at (530) 891-6900.