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Attorneys Susan Pulido-Craven and Melissa Wemstrom are part of our bilingual staff, which assists our Spanish-speaking clients on our hotline and at our court-based help desks.
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Helping Cook County's Spanish-speaking population navigate the legal system is a top priority at CARPLS.
Approximately 21 percent of our clients identify as Latino and to meet the needs of our Spanish-speaking clientele, CARPLS employs eight bilingual staff members - five attorneys and three paralegals.
Additionally, we produce an extensive series of legal self-help brochures in Spanish, as well as marketing materials that encourage clients to call our free hotline.
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CARPLS offers self-help brochures and marketing materials in Spanish.
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Spanish-speaking clients often face unique challenges in addition to their legal problems.
They often have "limited education, lack of support and finances and few persons to assist in their native language," says Susan Pulido-Craven, a supervising attorney, who frequently uses her Spanish language skills at our Domestic Relations Advice Desk and on our hotline.
"Some of our Hispanic clients are completely lost when it comes to the American legal system, so they require a lot more understanding, patience and time," says Carla Casas, a bilingual staff attorney who works on our hotline.
Casas, who is a Peruvian immigrant, says it is essential to offer legal help in Spanish.
"The Spanish-speaking community is a quickly-growing but vulnerable community that is often preyed upon. They are in desperate need of assistance, advocacy and support," she says.
Paralegal Kenny Bahena, who is bilingual, uses his Spanish language skills daily on our hotline and at our court-based advice desks. He says clients are exceptionally grateful to find assistance in their native tongue.
Says Kenny: "Once I tell them that I speak Spanish, the whole first minute of the conversation is often spent with the client expressing how relieved they are that we have people that speak
Spanish."
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Praise From Our Hispanic Clients
* "No sabía yo que hacer o a quien llamar con el problema de mi hijo. Él es menor de edad. La información que me dio fue de mucha ayuda y sé que si tengo otro problema les puedo llamar. Gracias."
("I did not know what to do or who to call about my son's problem. He is a minor. The information that I received was of great help and I know that if I have another problem I can call again. Thank you.")
* "Gracias a la abogada me siento más tranquila y me izo saber mis derechos que tengo como inquilina. Muchas gracias."
("Thanks to the attorney, I feel more at ease and she made me understand my rights as a tenant. Thank you very much.")
* "Me ayudo y me explico las posibilidades de ganar o perder en mi problema. Me oriento acerca de lo que yo podía hacer para solucionar el problema."
("She helped me and explained to me the possibilities of winning or losing in my problem. She oriented me with regards as to what I could do to solve my problem.")
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CARPLS is proud to celebrate
National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15.
