CHIRLA Student Legal Services is a project of CHIRLA’s full-service legal department. At a time when such services are scarce, CHIRLA gives our community the high quality legal representation it deserves. CHIRLA is recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and provides its services free or at low cost. Licensed attorneys supervise all legal staff, including accredited representatives and paralegals.
If you are not on campus but need an immigration legal consultation, please visit CHIRLA's headquarter offices on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Saturdays, beginning at 8 a.m. Only the first 20 people in line are guaranteed to be seen.
Regular triage walkins are currently suspended due to COVID-19. Contact our Hotline for updates: 1.888.624.4752.
2533 W 3rd St., Suite 101
Los Angeles, CA 90057
"I did my DACA renewal online and it was a very smooth process. It felt like if I had done it in person, Sylvia helped me and she explained the process."
–Manuel J.
"The whole over all experience was good. Everything was great and we did have a lot of checkup calls to make sure that all the information was correct."
–Jesus V.
Locations & Appointments
Access Legal Services
Schedule an appointment by clicking the button below. For more information, email studentlegalservices@chirla.org.
Staff
The CHIRLA Team
Maritza R. Agundez, Esq.
Managing Attorney, Student Legal Services
Maritza graduated from Occidental College with a double major in Politics and Urban and Environmental Policy. Maritza first began her career at CHIRLA as an intern for the community organizing department. She received her law degree from Southwestern Law School, where she was part of the Latino Law Student Association board, a teacher assistant for the legal writing course and the property course. Maritza also received two CALI awards in property and legal professions, externed at Community Legal Services in Compton and was a federal judicial extern to the Honorable S. James Otero. She was also part of the Youth Parole Board clinic, where she represented offenders.
Her honors include the MABF scholarship, the MALDEF scholarship, and the Southwestern Public Interest Law Service Award. She has dedicated her entire career to public service. She is an active member of the State Bar of California, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Andres Guerra, Esq.
Supervising Staff Attorney
Andrés R. Guerra is a son of Guatemalan immigrants who graduated with honors from Princeton University and Fordham Law School, where he won a public interest award for his work representing immigrant victims of domestic violence. At Fordham, he served as the vice president of the Latin American Law Students Association, overseeing community organizing and fundraising in New York.
Andrés was in private immigration law practice for six years before joining CHIRLA. In 2015, he co-founded a non-profit organization that provides free immigration legal services in the bay area. He is an active member of the State Bar of California, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Executive Office of Immigration Review, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
CHIRLA has been serving and protecting the immigrant community since 1986. We're a nonprofit organization that relies largely on your support to getting our work done. Please pledge your support today!