In addition to its legal clinics, the Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center offers a number of workshops in the subjects of:
Consumer Rights
Landlord/Tenant Rights
Workers’ Rights
These workshops are given throughout the San José community (and beyond) in day-worker centers, ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, community centers and other venues as a way to disseminate basic legal information to the under-represented members of our community.
Typically, a 1st-year Santa Clara law student presents a subject with the assistance of a PowerPoint presentation. If needed, an interpreter assists in the delivery of the presentation to Spanish-speaking audiences. The law student learns and delivers the presentation under the supervision of an attorney who specializes in each of the subjects.
Please contact us if you would like to check the availability of these workshops at your facility in San Jose or the neighboring areas. The workshop presentations are free.
There are two subjects covered through two different workshops in the Consumer Rights area:
1. Consumer issues having to do with the purchase of used and new cars from dealerships in California,
2. Consumer issues as they relate to credit cards and credit in general
Each workshop is outlined below.
Buying used or new cars from a California dealership
- Knowing how to select a car that fits your needs
- Deciding on a price limit
- Knowing how to research a car type, its attributes and its drawbacks (know your resources)
- Finding the type of financing option(s) that works for you
- Knowing how to negotiate (tips to become a better negotiator)
- Learning how to spot scam strategies (examples: bait and switch, leasing pitfalls, excessively long negotiations/turnover, lemons, add-ons, spot delivery, etc.)
- Knowing the components of a purchase contract
- Learning about your rights if you negotiate in a language other than English
- Knowing your rights before and after you purchase a car
- Helpful resources
Please contact us if you would like to check the availability of these workshops at your facility in San Jose or the neighboring areas. The workshop presentations are free.
Consumer issues as they relate to credit card and credit in general
- General considerations about personal finances
- Understanding credit and issues related to credit cards
- Understanding credit reports and credit scores
- Understanding debt and debt collection
- Understanding particular choices that could get you into trouble
- Knowing your rights as a credit card holder
- Helpful resources
Please contact us if you would like to check the availability of these workshops at your facility in San Jose or the neighboring areas. The workshop presentations are free.
Landlord/Tenant Rights
- General considerations about moving to and renting a new place
- Learning about the different types of rental agreements
- When can a rental agreement be legally modified?
- Learning about your rights if you negotiate in a language other than English
- What types of questions can a landlord legally ask?
- What is housing discrimination and how can you identify it?
- Things to do if you have been discriminated against when attempting to rent
- Knowing your responsibilities as a tenant
- Knowing your responsibilities as a landlord
- Learning about “security deposits”
- Learning how you can get most or all of your security deposit when you vacate your place
- What to do if you do not get your security deposit when you vacate your place
- Eviction: types of move-out notices that your landlord can give you
- Know your rights both as a landlord and as a tenant
- Helpful resources
Please contact us if you would like to check the availability of these workshops at your facility in San Jose or the neighboring areas. The workshop presentations are free.
Workers’ Rights
- Learning about discrimination at the work place (are you treated differently because of your race, age, national origin, religion, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation or disability?)
- Learning about your options when you have been discriminated against at work
- Understanding sexual harassment at the workplace
- Learning about your options if you have been sexually harassed at work
- Learning about your basic rights as an employee (minimum wage, meal breaks, over-time pay, holidays, vacation, sick leave, receiving your last check, etc.)
- As a mother or a father, what are your rights if you want to take time off to take care of your pregnancy or your new-born baby? How about taking time off to take care of a sick child or a spouse?
- Understanding your right to have a healthy and safe work environment
- Learning about your options if your employer retaliates against you for demanding your basic rights
- Learning about unemployment benefits (how and where to apply, etc.)
- Where and how to file a complaint related to any of the subjects above
- Helpful resources
Please contact us if you would like to check the availability of these workshops at your facility in San Jose or the neighboring areas. The workshop presentations are free.
