SDVLP aspires to promote equal access to justice by involving private attorneys in the provision of free civil legal services to indigent and disadvantaged San Diego County residents. SDVLP's services are directed to children in foster care, domestic violence victims, persons with HIV/AIDS, broken families, and other vulnerable groups. By engaging volunteer support, SDVLP is able to provide representation and other services to its target populations in legal practice areas which directly impact their health, safety and well-being. SDVLP's work with these populations is ongoing, and long-term success will be measured by its ability to effectively respond to the growing demand for service.

SDVLP's approach to service delivery is two-fold: 1) offer services at locations that are convenient and are easily accessible to the client population; and 2) encourage and support volunteer involvement by providing State Bar accredited training programs. To this end, SDVLP has several long-standing court-sited or court-affiliated legal clinics. It also collaborates with community partners in San Diego's North, South, East and Central San Diego Counties to conduct outreach targeting potential clients in those respective areas. This strategy was successfully employed in the implementation of the Law Library Family Law Clinic. Resources from the participant agencies are combined to offer a unique and effective response to the need for direct representation family law services. This new component is further enhanced by an hour-long substantive family law training from which volunteers can glean helpful information that can be immediately applied during the clinic session that follows. Similar initiatives will follow as financial resources and other partnership opportunities become available.

SDVLP has a dedicated team of staff attorneys and support staff, a large and active network of volunteer attorneys, a presence in the courts in the form of court-sited clinics, a robust relationship with the private bar, strong ties to all of the local law schools, an established network of funders, and a strong reputation for credibility, stability, and efficiency.

In 2013, with a budget of under $2 million, we helped over 5,000 people, and provided legal services valued at $4 million. By leveraging the pro bono services of the private bar, we have succeeded in maintaining crucial services during the Recession. We have even expanded by offering a new weekly Family Law Clinic, which after only 3 months, has already proven to be greatly needed in the community. Success is also measured by every client who leaves our clinic prepared to file a restraining order against an abusive partner; every responsible and caring adult who successfully obtains legal guardianship of a child in need; every AIDS sufferer with one less thing to worry about after creating an advanced healthcare directive; every tenant who learns how to assert their right to fair housing; each child who benefits from the amicable resolution of their parents' custody battle; and every foster child who is helped to stay in school through the advocacy of our program.

The ultimate goal of San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program is to close the justice gap in San Diego and fully meet the need for civil legal assistance for all low income and disadvantaged San Diego County residents. In order to achieve that goal we will strive to increase the number of cases being referred to volunteer attorneys, obtain additional funding from more sources, and continue to expand program services.