Inland Counties Legal Services is proud to announce Amazon as our 2025 Corporate Partner of the Year, for its in-house legal team’s dedication to serving local clients and helping our community members get fresh starts.
In December 2023, ICLS, Amazon, and Fenwick & West joined together to launch a series of expungement screening clinics aimed at helping low-income people in our region review their criminal records and navigate the record clearing process.
The need for record clearing in our communities is high, and criminal records can prevent people from securing employment, housing, and better opportunities for themselves and their families. Even though California has the most lenient expungement laws in the country, the legal process can still be difficult for folks to navigate on their own.
This month, we are celebrating our 12th clinic together. Since program launch, Amazon has helped ICLS review over 200 criminal charges and convictions for approximately 70 justice-impacted people in our region, empowering them to rebuild their lives through expungement and reentry support. This improves job opportunities, family stability, self-confidence, and so much more. For many of our clients, the expungement process also provides a high level of emotional healing; for years, they have been defined by their past mistakes, unable to move forward.
With the help of partners like Amazon, we are providing our neighbors with a clean slate.
When it comes to maximizing impact, corporate partners also play an important role in legal aid. According to the 2024 California Justice Gap Study, only 25% of attorneys in the state serve individuals, rather than corporations, government or businesses. That’s why it is so meaningful for corporations like our amazing partners at Amazon to support legal aid and pro bono work.
“Amazon’s support of our pro bono services is helping us move the needle on access to justice in our communities,” Pro Bono Director Matt Kugizaki said. “When our neighbors can find better jobs, safe housing, and provide for their families, it makes our communities better places to live.”