Who We Are

Legal Services Corporation encourages programs to leverage limited resources by partnering and collaborating with other funders of civil legal aid, including state and local governments.

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Our Mission

To promote equal access to justice in our Nation and to provide high quality civil legal assistance to low-income persons.

The United States Congress, in the declaration of purpose of the Legal Services Corporation Act, found that "there is a need to provide equal access to the system of justice in our Nation for individuals who seek redress of grievances;" that "there is a need to provide high quality legal assistance to those who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel;" and that "providing legal assistance to those who face an economic barrier to adequate legal counsel will serve best the ends of justice and assist in improving opportunities for low-income persons."

What is Legal Services Corporation?

LSC is the single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans in the nation. Established in 1974, LSC operates as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes equal access to justice and provides grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans. LSC distributes more than 90 percent of its total funding to 131 independent nonprofit legal aid programs with more than 800 offices.

LSC promotes equal access to justice by awarding grants to legal services providers through a competitive grants process; conducting compliance reviews and program visits to oversee program quality and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements as well as restrictions that accompany LSC funding, and by providing training and technical assistance to programs. LSC grantees handle the basic civil legal needs of the poor, addressing matters involving safety, subsistence, and family stability. Most legal aid practices are focused on family law, including domestic violence and child support and custody, and on housing matters, including evictions and foreclosures. LSC encourages programs to leverage limited resources by partnering and collaborating with other funders of civil legal aid, including state and local governments, Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA), access to justice commissions, the private bar, philanthropic foundations, and the business community.

LSC is headed by a bipartisan board of directors whose 11 members are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Ronald S. Flagg is the current president, and John Levi serves as Chairman.

2021 Annual Report
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Who is helped by LSC-funded programs?

LSC-funded programs help people who live in households with annual incomes at or below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines – in 2015, $14,713 for an individual, $30,313 for a family of four. Clients come from every ethnic group and every age group and live in rural, suburban, and urban areas. They are the working poor, veterans, homeowners and renters, families with children, farmers, people with disabilities, and the elderly. Women - many of whom are struggling to keep their children safe and their families together - comprise 70 percent of clients.

How is assistance provided?

Legal aid programs provide extensive representation in individual cases when required, but they also provide:

  • Clinics, often staffed by pro bono attorneys, where legal problems can be identified and addressed on-site or scheduled for additional assistance if needed;
  • Advice and self-help materials (delivered via workshops, telephone help lines, online chat tools, downloadable court forms, etc.) that help people understand their rights and responsibilities, when legal assistance may be needed and where to find it, and get assistance with self-representation when necessary; and
  • Referrals to other social services as appropriate.

How many are helped?

LSC-funded programs helped approximately 1.8 million people in 2019. However, demand for legal aid far outstrips the resources available. This is known as the "justice gap". Recent studies indicate that legal aid offices turn away 50 percent or more of those seeking help. The size of the population eligible for legal assistance has increased dramatically from 2007. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 statistics on poverty show that more than one in five - 63.6 million Americans - qualified for civil legal assistance funded by LSC.

Download Files

Title of File or Publication Size Format
What is LSC Fact Sheet 221.45kb PDF Download