Pepperdine Disaster Relief Clinic provides free legal services to hundreds of fire survivors
The Pepperdine Caruso School of Law Disaster Relief Clinic was born out of necessity – first as a series of pop-up legal aid events after the January wildfires and later as a formal program with staff attorneys and law students.
Much of the Disaster Relief Clinic’s pro-bono work focuses on guiding traumatized fire survivors through complex applications and appeals. Among the most common issues are disputes with FEMA and insurance companies: Survivors often face denials or insufficient payouts at a time when they are least equipped to advocate for themselves.
“Most people can understand insurance, banking, mortgages, leases and all the stuff you have to do now,” Jeff Baker, clinical law professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, said earlier this year. “What most people can’t do well is to do all of that at once while you’re under incredible stress, while you are trying to survive and caring for your families and going to work.”
The California Community Foundation supported the clinic with a grant from its Wildfire Recovery Fund earlier this year.
The clinic has served more than 300 clients since the January wildfires, providing roughly $400,000 worth of pro-bono services to them according to a Pepperdine spokesperson. The clinic has helped clients recover at least $750,000 in FEMA aid and clients have recouped millions of dollars in insurance payouts, the spokesperson said.
When Francesca Scorsone and John Bellizzi first saw the smoke from the Palisades fire, they thought it was too far away to reach their Malibu home. They packed up quickly, only grabbing a small bag before evacuating to their son’s place in Orange County.
The next morning, they noticed their garage Ring camera had gone dark. Then a neighbor shared an aerial photo that confirmed their worst fears: their home was destroyed. In fact, only one house in their cul-de-sac survived the fire.
“It was devastating,” Scorsone said. “You try and focus on the positive, but you start thinking about all the things that you left behind.”
The couple’s ordeal was just beginning. The home was insured through the California FAIR Plan, a last-resort insurance option for folks living in high-risk fire areas like Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains. The initial insurance settlement offer was far below what was needed to rebuild, the couple said.
Seeking help, they reached out to the Disaster Relief Clinic. The staff there provided guidance, helping them draft effective responses to the claims adjuster and navigate the complex insurance process.
“It was pretty much a lot of hand holding, which you kind of need at that point in time,” Scorsone said.
With the clinic’s support, the couple was able to secure the full policy payout from their insurance company. And the pro bono legal work also helped save them thousands of dollars in legal fees, she said.
“We couldn’t have done it without them,” Scorsone said. “They guided us in the right direction and with the right words.”
In this way, the Disaster Relief Clinic has become a lifeline for survivors seeking free legal help as they rebuild their lives.
There are currently 10 students enrolled in the class for the clinic, with each one helping clients and learning how best to practice law. The Pepperdine law school also hired two staff attorneys who represent fire survivors.
The clinic is led by director and adjunct law professor David DeJute, whose own life was upended by the Woolsey fire in 2018. The wildfire destroyed parts of his Malibu property and left his family underinsured. The experience inspired him to lead the clinic’s efforts when wildfires struck again this year.
“I felt an obligation to give back and pay forward a little bit,” DeJute said.
Scorsone and Bellizzi are now renting an apartment near their grandchildren in Orange County. They remain grateful for the support they received and are planning to rebuild their Malibu home off of Las Flores Canyon Road.
“We consider ourselves lucky because we have the capability and the resources to be able to do this,” Scorsone said.
– Ben Poston