▁only ▁programs ▁of ▁their ▁kind ▁in ▁existence . ▁Its ▁free ▁legal ▁representation ▁helps ▁low - in come ▁people ▁of ▁every ▁race ▁and ▁religion ▁in ▁Los ▁Angeles , ▁and ▁directly ▁emp ow ers ▁people ▁with ▁knowledge ▁and ▁tools ▁needed ▁to ▁protect ▁their ▁rights . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁activ ists ▁throughout ▁the ▁nation ▁began ▁to ▁system ically ▁address ▁the ▁roots ▁of ▁in just ice ▁by ▁fighting ▁pover ty , ▁dis enf ranch is ement , ▁and ▁disc rim ination . ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁faced ▁over wh el ming ▁cr ises ▁with ▁dev ast ating ly ▁ent rench ed ▁areas ▁of ▁urban ▁bl ight , ▁d eter ior ating ▁living ▁conditions ▁in ▁sl ums ▁and ▁gh ett os , ▁and ▁an ▁increasing ly ▁dis emp ower ed ▁population ▁of ▁low - in come ▁people . ▁ ▁Bet ▁T zed ek ' s ▁volunte er ▁att or ne ys ▁provided ▁free ▁legal ▁representation ▁to ▁Ang elen os ▁who ▁would ▁never ▁otherwise ▁gain ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁justice ▁system . ▁As ▁the ▁need ▁sky ro cket ed ▁throughout ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 7 0 s , ▁Bet ▁T zed ek ▁rapidly ▁evol ved ▁from ▁a ▁part - time , ▁volunte er - run ▁organization ▁into ▁a ▁compreh ensive , ▁full - service ▁center ▁providing ▁free ▁legal ▁aid ▁to ▁all ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁Bet ▁T zed ek ' s ▁law y