About me
Carlos Valdes (he/him) is the Pro Bono Manager at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), where he supports the Pro Bono Disaster Response Team serving individuals affected by the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. In his role, Carlos has coordinated volunteer attorneys and law students across FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, multi-agency resource centers, and disaster relief legal clinics, and he leads regular projects like LAFLA's Family Preparedness Workshop. To engage and equip skilled volunteers, he develops and delivers MCLE-accredited trainings for pro bono attorneys, legal aid advocates, and Disaster Case Managers on various topics related to disaster response. Part of his current work focuses on how disaster-relief payments — including FEMA assistance, insurance settlements, and litigation awards — interact with public benefits eligibility.
