East Palo Alto clinic honored for providing legal services to low-income residents.

It wasn’t quite the Academy Awards, but for the staff of the Stanford Community Law Clinic the ceremony was just as memorable. The Clinic was one of only three programs to receive Stanford University’s first Community Partnership Awards, presented to programs that best “embody the spirit of genuine partnership and benefit the overall community.” 

The Clinic was feted at an awards luncheon held March 31 at the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto. More than 100 local political and community leaders joined Stanford faculty, staff, and alumni to honor the three recipients. “We’d like this to be the beginning of a partnership,” said Gordon Earle, Stanford’s Vice President for Public Affairs, the host for the event. 

The Clinic is less than two years old, but it has already established itself as a vital part of the East Palo Alto community where it is based. “The Clinic handles nearly 1,000 cases a year on a variety of issues including workers’ rights, consumer rights, and housing,” said Duane Bay, a member of the East Palo Alto City Council. Bay made his comments while introducing Peter Reid, Clinic Director, who accepted the $1,000 award on behalf of the School. 

The Stanford Community Law Clinic works with law students enrolled in one of the eight clinics currently taught at Stanford Law School. It offers legal services to low-income clients, while providing real-world legal training for students. The Clinic operates in cooperation with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and 15 affiliates—local and national law firms, companies, and organizations that provide financial and advisory support. (More on the award, the Clinic, and the affiliate program can be found at www.law.stanford.edu/sclc_award.)