Begun by the Sisters of the Holy Child in 1993, the Casa Cornelia Law Center (CCLC) gives a voice to indigent immigrants who need, but cannot afford legal representation. CCLC assists more than 600 individuals every year.
CCLC was founded by Sr. Ann Durst, a Sister of the Holy Child, who had served as an educator for almost 25 years. But when she felt called to the legal profession, the Sisters of the Holy Child encouraged her to use her God-given gifts and talents. Sr. Ann earned her law degree from Georgetown University in 1982.
The idea of opening CCLC began when the Society asked Sr. Ann to explore the possibility of having a mission to serve those in need in America’s southwest. Sr. Ann conducted a study along the Mexican-American border to determine the need for legal services among the immigrant community. She found that San Diego, the busiest land border crossing in the world, was the place to begin. And this is where the Law Center opened.
