The Disability Rights Legal Center - DRLC (formerly Western Law Center for Disability Rights) is an independent non-profit public interest law office that provides free legal services to persons with disabilities. With a small staff, law student externs and volunteer attorneys, the Center provides much needed assistance to persons with disabilities through litigation, mediation and meaningful referrals to other agencies. These efforts, contributing significantly to the ability of persons with disabilities to secure their legal rights, are undertaken through the following projects:
- The Civil Rights Litigation Project pursues litigation on behalf of clients with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws. Led by the Center's litigation director, it uses law student externs and pro bono counsel to fight disability discrimination in the areas of housing, employment and access to government programs and privately owned public accommodations.
- The Disability Mediation Center uses alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques to resolve conflicts has handled hundreds of cases in a quick, effective and inexpensive manner to the benefit of all parties involved. Because of the efficiency of ADR, the DRLC recommends it as an important first step in most disability rights disputes.
- The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC), operated jointly by DRLC and Loyola Law School, is a legal resource to persons with cancer and those who provide them with medical care, employment and other services. The information and resources provided by the CLRC have proven to be of immeasurable value.
- The Options Counseling Program is a "front-end" intake system that focuses on informing all callers about each of the options available to them, including litigation, arbitration, administrative complaints, mediation and self-help. Armed with sufficient information about the benefits of each option, the caller is able to decide on a course of action appropriate to their circumstances.
- The Education Advocacy Project advocates for low-income and minority students with all types of disabilities who are being denied services to which they are entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
For more information about the Disability Rights Legal Center (formerly Western Law Center for Disability Rights), call (213) 736-1031.