Carmen M. Chavez is the Executive Director of Casa Cornelia Law Center (CCLC), a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to providing pro bono legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations. A passionate advocate for justice, Ms. Chavez’s journey with Casa Cornelia came full circle—having first volunteered as a student, she now leads the organization, ensuring that immigrants seeking asylum, survivors of human trafficking and violent crimes, and unaccompanied children receive compassionate, expert legal representation.
With more than 25 years of service at CCLC, Ms. Chavez has held numerous roles, including Equal Justice Works Fellow, Staff Attorney, Program Director, and Associate Director, before assuming leadership of the organization. Today, she oversees a dedicated team of 34 staff members and a network of more than 400 volunteers, ensuring that vulnerable immigrants in San Diego County receive dignity, due process, and hope in their pursuit of justice.
A San Diego native and resident of San Ysidro, Ms. Chavez brings both legal expertise and a personal connection to the communities CCLC serves. She is a California-licensed attorney and a graduate of Loyola Law School.
To learn more about Casa Cornelia Law Center’s mission and impact, visit https://casacornelia.org/
Casa Cornelia Law Center is a 501(c)(3) public interest law firm providing quality legal services to victims of human and civil rights violations. Casa Cornelia has a primary commitment to indigent persons within the immigrant community in Southern California. It seeks to educate others regarding the impact of immigration law and policy on the community and the public good. The mission and spirit of Casa Cornelia is rooted in the tradition of service of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and that of its founder, Cornelia Connelly. It encompasses the belief that God has chosen to need men and women in every age to reveal God’s love and to make known the reality of God’s saving presence through their service to others. Casa Cornelia seeks to foster a spirit of simplicity, honesty, kindness, and cheerfulness among colleagues and with those served. It has chosen Thomas More as the exemplar of these qualities to mark its practice of law.