Relevant Websites
Australia
National Children's and Youth Law Centre
The National Children's and Youth Law Centre is a community legal centre based in Sydney, Australia, dedicated to addressing human right issues for children and young people through legal change. The National Children's and Youth Legal Centre is a registered charitable non-government organisation.
National Association of Community Legal Centres
The National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) is the association of state community legal centre organisations in Australia. Its members are: Australian Capital Territory Association of Community Legal Centres (ACTACLC), Combined Community Legal Centres Group (New South Wales) (CCLCG), Northern Territory Association of Community Legal Centres (NTACLC), Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services (QAILS), South Australian Council of Community Legal Services (SACCLS), Tasmanian Association of Community Legal Centres (TACLC), Federation of Community Legal Centres (Victoria), Community Legal Centres Association (WA) Inc. Together, these organisations represent around 200 community legal centres nationally. NACLC's governing body, Management Committee, meets throughout the year as a group of state and territory representatives and elected national representatives. This site exists for the use of community legal centre workers and volunteers and other interested people.
Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department
With regard to ‘Legal Aid and Other Programs of Assistance’, the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department is responsible for the administration of the following legal assistance programs: administering funding for the provision of legal aid services for Commonwealth law matters through legal aid commissions; administering the Community Legal Services Program; and managing the provision of financial assistance through a range of statutory and non-statutory schemes. The Australian Government's Legal Aid for Indigenous Australians (LEGA) program supports the provision of culturally sensitive legal aid services to Indigenous Australians.
Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department
With regard to ‘Legal Aid and Other Programs of Assistance’, the Australian Government Attorney-General's Department is responsible for the administration of the following legal assistance programs: administering funding for the provision of legal aid services for Commonwealth law matters through legal aid commissions; administering the Community Legal Services Program; and managing the provision of financial assistance through a range of statutory and non-statutory schemes. The Australian Government's Legal Aid for Indigenous Australians (LEGA) program supports the provision of culturally sensitive legal aid services to Indigenous Australians.
National Legal Aid, Australia
There are eight independent Legal Aid Commissions, one in each of the States and Territories. The Directors of the commissions combine at a national level to form National Legal Aid (NLA). The Commissions are funded from 3 sources: Commonwealth Government; State and Territory Governments; and Interest, contributions and fees.
Legal Aid Commission of the Australian Capital Territory
The Legal Aid Commission of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is established under the Legal Aid Act 1977. The aim of the Commission is to work to inform people of their legal rights and obligations and to improve their access to the justice system.
Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales
The Law and Justice Foundation is a statutory body with a 40 year history of improving access to justice for the people of NSW. The purpose of the Law and Justice Foundation is to advance the fairness and equity of the justice system, and to improve access to justice, especially for socially and economically disadvantaged people.
Legal Aid New South Wales
Legal Aid NSW is established under the Legal Aid Commission Act 1979 of New South Wales and is an independent statutory body. It provides legal aid and other legal services to disadvantaged people. Legal Aid NSW works alongside other organisations to assist socially and economically disadvantaged people to understand and protect their legal rights.
Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission
NT Legal Aid is an independent statutory Commission. There are separate Commissions in each State and Territory. Legal Aid in the NT usually only assists in matters that are before the Courts in the NT, but help can be given to apply for aid from a Commission in another State.
Legal Aid Queensland
Legal Aid Queensland is a statutory authority that provides legal information, advice and representation to financially and socially disadvantaged Queenslanders. It specialises in criminal, family and civil law, offering legal help - information, advice and representation - across all areas.
Legal Service Commission of South Australia
The Legal Services Commission is jointly funded by both the South Australian and the Commonwealth Governments. It was established in 1977 to increase access to legal services for those people who cannot afford to pay for private legal representation. This mandate is spelt out in the Legal Services Commission Act 1977, which gives the Commission broad powers and responsibilities to work towards equality before the law for all South Australians. The Legal Services Commission's services to the community can be divided into three main areas - advice, community education and legal representation.
Legal Aid Commission of Tasmania
LACT is a statutory authority established under Tasmania's Legal Aid Commission Act 1990. Its services include: Telephone Advice Service; Clinic Advice Service; Duty Solicitor Service; PDR Conferences; Community Legal Education; and Legal Representation.
West Heidelberg Community Legal Service
West Heidelberg Community Legal Service is a not-for-profit organisation providing a free range of legal services to the Banyule community. It also operates in partnership with La Trobe University School of Law, a legal education clinic program for La Trobe Law students in their penultimate year of study.
Victoria Legal Aid
VLA is a state-wide organisation that helps people with their legal problems. It focuses on helping and protecting the rights of socially and economically disadvantaged Victorians. VLA is a statutory authority established by legislation called the Legal Aid Act 1978 (Vic). It is funded by Commonwealth and state governments but is independent from government.
Legal Aid Western Australia
Legal Aid WA is an independent statutory body set up by the Legal Aid Commission Act 1976. It provides information services (through telephone information line, community legal education, website and a range of publications and kits), legal advice (through duty lawyers at court or legal advice sessions, either face to face, over the telephone or by video conference to people in remote areas), minor assistance (through solicitors or paralegal advisors who can help individuals negotiate, write letters, draft documents or prepare to represent themselves in court) and legal representation (through lawyers working for Legal Aid as well as private lawyers. Only people with incomes and assets below a certain level get their own lawyer).
Legal Aid WA also provides specialist services through its Child Support Legal Unit, Domestic Violence Legal Unit, Immigration Service, YouthLaw Unit, Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit, & Corruption and Crime Commission Representation Fund.
Bulgaria
National Legal Aid Bureau, Bulgaria
The National Legal Aid Bureau manages legal aid in Bulgaria. Its legislative responsibilities include managing the legal aid budget, developing the legal aid systems of penal, civil and administrative cases, and promoting the legal aid system.
Cambodia
Legal Aid of Cambodia
Legal Aid of Cambodia ("LAC") is a non-governmental, independent, Khmer-administered, non-profit and non-political organization founded in 1995. LAC provides free legal services to the Cambodia's poor in both civil and criminal cases with its mission that is to provide quality legal service to and advocate for the Cambodia’s poor so that they are fairly and equally treated in the society. Currently, LAC is supported by donors from International Community based in the country and outside the country including the two largest donors, Oxfam Novib and the Open Society Institute.
Canada
Department of Justice, Canada
The Department of Justice has a dual mandate in support of the dual roles of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada. The Mission of the Department of Justice is to: support the Minister of Justice in working to ensure that Canada is a just and law-abiding society with an accessible, efficient and fair system of justice; provide high-quality legal services and counsel to the government and to client departments and agencies; and, promote respect for rights and freedoms, the law and the Constitution.
Legal Aid Alberta
In Alberta, legal aid is provided by Legal Aid Alberta. Legal Aid Alberta provides legal aid in both civil and criminal matters through a number of programs and services. Legal Aid in Alberta was officially established on July 1, 1970 by an agreement between the Law Society of Alberta and the provincial Attorney General to deal with both criminal and civil matters. After Legal Aid Alberta (Legal Aid Society of Alberta) was incorporated under the Societies Act in 1973, a revised Agreement between the Attorney General and the Law Society was signed in February 1979, followed by an additional agreement between the Law Society and Legal Aid Alberta. By virtue of that agreement, the Law Society assigned the administration of the legal aid plan to Legal Aid Alberta.
Law Foundation of British Columbia
The Law Foundation of British Columbia is a non-profit foundation created by legislation in 1969 to receive and distribute the interest on clients' funds held in lawyers' pooled trust accounts maintained in financial institutions. The Legal Profession Act directs the Law Foundation to distribute these funds in the areas of legal education, legal research, legal aid, law reform and law libraries for the benefit of British Columbians.
Legal Services Society (LSS), British Columbia
The LSS provide legal aid in British Columbia, along with a range of legal information, advice, and representation services that help people resolve their legal problems. These services include booklets about the law and referrals to other agencies, a lawyer to represent someone in court, or a paralegal to explain over the phone what to do next.
Legal Aid Manitoba
Legal Aid Manitoba provides legal help to people with low incomes. For those who qualify, we help: People with family issues such as divorce, child custody, maintenance enforcement and child protection matters; Adults and youth who are facing criminal charges; People with disputes involving welfare, workers compensation or disability benefits; Groups and individuals with test cases in the areas of consumer, poverty, environmental, Aboriginal and Charter of Rights challenges. They do not handle real estate transactions, wills and estates, adoptions, corporate and commercial matters, or civil litigation matters such as people suing each other.
Community Advocacy & Legal Centre
The Community Advocacy & Legal Centre (formerly known as Hastings and Prince Edward Legal Services) is a non-profit community legal clinic. The Community Advocacy & Legal Centre provides access to justice through quality legal services, advocacy and information for people living on a low income or in poverty. The clinic is funded by Legal Aid Ontario.
Legal Aid Ontario
In 1998, the Ontario government enacted the Legal Aid Services Act in which the province renewed and strengthened its commitment to legal aid. The Act established LAO, an independent but publicly funded and publicly accountable non-profit corporation, to administer the province’s legal aid program. LAO’s mandate in the Legal Aid Services Act, 1998 is to “promote access to justice throughout Ontario for low-income individuals by means of providing consistently high quality legal aid services in a cost-effective and efficient manner.” Poverty law services are delivered through a network of 80 independent, community-based legal aid clinics, funded by LAO. LAO also runs a certificate program through its network of 51 offices. LAO also provide duty counsel services for people who arrive in criminal, family or youth courts without a lawyer.
Commission des services juridiques
The Commission des services juridiques is the agency responsible for applying Québec’s Legal Aid Act and for ensuring that legal aid is provided to any eligible person who applies for it.
Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission
The Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission, established in 1974, provides legal services to persons and organizations for criminal and civil matters where those persons and organizations are financially unable to secure these services from their own resources. The Saskatchewan Legal Aid Commission uses a salaried staff delivery model for most of its applicants. It employs lawyers, legal assistants, legal secretaries and administrative staff located in offices throughout the province. The services of private practice lawyers may be used where the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission believes it would better serve the client.
Canadian Forum on Civil Justice
The Canadian Forum on Civil Justice was established in 1998, to help meet the challenges affecting access to the civil justice system. The central issues identified were delays, costs associated with proceeding in the civil courts and lack of understanding of the civil justice system. The Forum was established to encourage participation from all groups involved in civil justice reform and to facilitate the exchange of information and experience in civil justice reform. As an independent organization, the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice is dedicated to bringing together the public, the courts, the legal profession and government in order to promote a civil justice system that is accessible, effective, fair and efficient. The Forum provides services in both of Canada's official languages.
England and Wales
The Access to Justice Foundation
The Access to Justice Foundation has been established to receive and distribute additional financial resources that will help to get free of charge (pro bono) legal assistance to those who need it most. The Foundation will receive monies raised by schemes, of which the scheme under section 194 of the Legal Services Act 2007 is the first. Taking a strategic view, it will distribute those monies to Regional Legal Support Trusts, to the major pro bono organisations, and to projects. The Regional Legal Support Trusts will in turn distribute to local advice agencies and law centres. This new initiative will help in the overall effort to provide practical “access to justice” to those unable to afford help.
Legal Action Group
The purpose of the Legal Action Group, a national, independent charity, is to promote equal access to justice for all members of society who are socially, economically or otherwise disadvantaged. To this end, it seeks to improve law and practice, the administration of justice and legal services. Legal Action magazine, aimed at providers of services to disadvantaged people, is published online monthly.
Legal Services Research Centre
The Legal Services Research Centre (LSRC) is the independent Research Division of the Legal Services Commission (LSC). It was set up in 1996 to inform legal aid policy and the implementation of reform. It has a broad remit to conduct strategic research in the civil and criminal justice fields. The LSRC conducts quantitative and qualitative empirical research, along with theoretical analysis of the political, social and philosophical underpinnings of publicly funded legal services.
Ministry of Justice, England and Wales
The Ministry of Justice is one of the largest government departments and its’ work spans criminal, civil and family justice, democracy, rights and the constitution.
The Ministry of Justice works to protect the public and reduce reoffending, and to provide a more effective, transparent and responsive criminal justice system for victims and the public. It also provides fair and simple routes to civil and family justice.
JUSTICE
JUSTICE is an all-party law reform and human rights organisation working to improve the legal system and the quality of justice, in particular by: promoting human rights; improving the legal system and access to justice; improving criminal justice; raising standards of EU justice and home affairs.
Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
The Institute of Advanced Legal Studies was founded in 1947. It was conceived and is funded as a national academic institution, attached to the University of London, serving all universities through its national legal research library. Its function is to promote, facilitate and disseminate the results of advanced study and research in the discipline of law, for the benefit of persons and institutions in the UK and abroad.
Legal Services Commission of England and Wales
The Legal Services Commission runs the legal aid scheme in England and Wales. We work in partnership with solicitors and not-for-profit organisations to get people the information, advice and legal help they need to deal with a wide range of problems. Our vision is to make sure people can access the help they need to address their problems. The Community Legal Service helps people with civil legal problems such as family breakdown, debt and housing. The Criminal Defence Service helps people who are under police investigation or facing criminal charges.
LawWorks
LawWorks is the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group. The Solicitors Pro Bono Group (SPBG) is an independent charity which aims to increase the delivery of free legal advice to individuals and communities in need by supporting, promoting and encouraging a commitment to pro bono across the solicitors' profession.
ProBonoUK.net
This website has been developed in order to promote legal pro bono work. The aim is to provide a medium for sharing information and resources and to develop an online community of like minded pro bono providers. ProBonoUK.net also hopes to map the vast amount of pro bono work that takes place across the UK.
The Bar Pro Bono Unit
The Unit acts as a clearing house, matching barristers prepared to undertake pro bono work with those who need their help. The Unit has a small team of staff who co-ordinate the large panel of volunteers who assist on cases. The office itself is unable to give legal advice. The Unit works closely in partnership with the voluntary sector and with other pro bono providers, and is involved in a variety of projects and activities some of which are described in other areas of this site.
Law Centres Federation
Established in 1978, the Law Centres Federation is a charity which supports and promotes Law Centres® in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Europe
European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), Council of Europe
The aim of the CEPEJ is the improvement of the efficiency and functioning of justice in the member States, and the development of the implementation of the instruments adopted by the Council of Europe to this end. Its tasks are: to analyse the results of the judicial systems; to identify the difficulties they meet; to define concrete ways to improve, on the one hand, the evaluation of their results, and, on the other hand, the functioning of these systems; to provide assistance to member States, at their request; to propose to the competent instances of the Council of Europe the fields where it would be desirable to elaborate a new legal instrument.
Finland
The National Research Institute of Legal Policy
The institute conducts impartial research on legal policy, publishes related reports and follows the development of Finnish and international legal policy research. The institute participates in and promotes national and international co-operation in the field of legal policy research. Moreover, it performs special research and information tasks commissioned by the Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice, Finland
The Ministry of Justice maintains and develops the legal order and legal safeguards and oversees the structures of democracy and the fundamental rights of citizens. The Ministry is responsible for the drafting of the most important laws, the functioning of the judicial system and the enforcement of sentences.
Ghana
Legal Resources Centre, Ghana
Legal Resources Centre is a non-governmental organisation with significant community-based grassroots initiatives. Its core mission is to develop human rights within communities where it works to ensure social progress and development through the instrumentation of law, justice, development and good governance. The Legal Resources Centre is governed by a board comprising experienced lawyers and development work practitioners.
Hong Kong SAR
Legal Aid Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
The Legal Aid Department’s mission is to ensure that any person who has reasonable grounds for taking or defending a legal action is not prevented from doing so by lack of means. The Legal Aid Department provides legal representation to eligible applicants by a solicitor and, if necessary, a barrister in civil or criminal proceedings.
Legal Aid Services Council, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
The Council is responsible for overseeing the administration of the legal aid services provided by the Legal Aid Department (LAD) and the LAD is accountable to the Council for the provision of such services. The Council may: formulate policies governing the provision of services by the LAD and give advice on the policy direction of the LAD; review the work of the LAD from time to time and make such arrangements as are expedient and proper to ensure the efficient and economical discharge of the functions and provision of legal aid services by the LAD; keep under review the services provided by the LAD and the plans for development of the LAD; and consider and advise on the estimates of expenditure of the LAD.
Hungary
Hungarian Helsinki Committee
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee monitors the enforcement in Hungary of human rights enshrined in international human rights instruments, provides legal defence to victims of human rights abuses by state authorities and informs the public about rights violations.
India
Cyber Legal Aid
In today’s Knowledge and Information Technology Era, where information knows no bounds and everything is simply a mouse click away, V. M. Salgaocar College of Law has launched this novel concept of Legal Aid through its new vehicle of thought the Cyber Legal Aid. The College through its website http://www.vmslaw.edu has set up a link 'Cyber Legal Aid' In today’s Knowledge and Information Technology Era, where information knows no bounds and everything is simply a mouse click away, V. M. Salgaocar College of Law has launched this novel concept of Legal Aid through its new vehicle of thought the Cyber Legal Aid which has been introduced to serve the needs of the Law Students, Advocates and the General Public at large.
Indonesia
Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI)
YLBHI’s mission is to: Establish, promote and disseminate the values of democratic and just legal-based state, and uphold human rights in all social segments without condition; Establish and promote independence and empower the marginalized people in such a way that enables them to formulate, articulate and struggle for and sustain their collective and individual interests; Develop systems, institutions and other supporting instruments to increase effectiveness of the efforts to fulfill the rights of the marginalized people; Initiate, encourage, advocate and support law development programs, enforcement of legal justice and national legal reform in line with the viable Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and promote and develop programs that contain dimension of justice in politics, socio-economic, culture and gender, particularly for the marginalized people.
Ireland
Legal Aid Board
The Legal Aid Board is an independent, publicly funded organization. It has been in existence since 1979 and was set up as a statutory body on foot of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995. The Board's Mission Statement, set out in its Corporate Plan 2009 – 2011, is "To provide a professional, efficient, cost-effective and accessible legal aid and advice service". The Board has thirty three full time law centres located throughout the country, as well as the Private Practitioner Service, a Refugee Documentation Centre and a library service located at Montague Court, Montague Lane, Dublin 2.
Lithuania
Ministry of Justice, Republic of Lithuania
The Ministry of Justice is an executive authority with a mission to develop a legal system consistent with the rule of law and ensuring protection of human rights and freedoms. The Ministry of Justice implements the state-guaranteed legal aid policy, organises and performs monitoring of state-guaranteed legal aid.
Moldova
National Legal Aid Council, Republic of Moldova
The main body administering the legal aid system is the National Legal Aid Council (NLAC or National Council) and its’ Territorial Offices. Ministry of Justice is the policy making body in the field. The Bar Association cooperates with the NLAC for ensuring the delivery of legal aid. National Council is a collegial body with the status of a legal person of public law, formed of 7 members and established with the purpose of administrating the process of delivering of state guaranteed legal aid.
Namibia
Legal Assistance Centre, Namibia
The LAC's main objective is to protect the human rights of all Namibians. It works in five broad areas: Litigation; Information and advice; Education and training; Research; Law reform and advocacy. It is funded by national and international donor organisations as well as individuals.
The Netherlands
Dutch Ministry of Justice
Building a just and safe society. This is the principal aim of the 30,000 people who work for the Ministry throughout the Netherlands. One of the Ministry’s key tasks is ensuring that the administration of justice and legal aid is independent, accessible and effective.
Legal Aid Board, Netherlands
The Raad voor Rechtsbijstand (Legal Aid Board) was instituted by the Minister of Justice (Lord High Chancellor). Its aim is to make sure legal representation is provided to those who need it. The Raad voor Rechtsbijstand does not employ solicitors or mediators.
New Zealand
Ministry of Justice, New Zealand
The Ministry of Justice exists to create a fairer and safer New Zealand and provides many services on behalf of government to help achieve this. The Ministry of Justice administers legislation and contributes to a more credible and more effective justice system by: developing robust policy advice that influences the direction of justice in New Zealand; supporting an efficient and accessible court system that is trusted by New Zealanders; providing effective services to support independent judicial decision making; settling Treaty of Waitangi claims in a fair and durable way; managing parliamentary elections and referenda effectively, to maintain public confidence in electoral processes; and, working with communities to enhance safety and wellbeing.
Legal Services Agency, New Zealand
The Legal Services Agency is a Crown entity set up by the Legal Services Act 2000. The Act's purpose is to promote access to justice. The Agency is responsible to the Minister of Justice and advises the Minister about the provision of legal services. The Agency has to: administer schemes in a consistent, accountable, inexpensive, and efficient manner; fund, provide and support community legal services for the public or any section of it; investigate and advise on any matter relating to schemes or community legal services referred to it by the Minister; carry out any other functions conferred on it by the Legal Services Act 2000 or any other Act.
University of Otago Legal Issues Centre
The University of Otago Legal Issues Centre was established at the Faculty in 2007 through a gift from the Gama Foundation and the University of Otago Foundation Trust. It's purpose is to carry out research on legal issues relating to how a more accessible, affordable and efficient legal system can be created for the benefit of all citizens and to carry out research on how courts can best ascertain the truth and arrive at a fair and just outcome.
Foundation Viadicte
Viadicte’s statutory objective is: promoting verifiable quality by the lawyers in the legal service as well as the certification of that quality, in the broadest sense of the word. For that purpose both standards and instruments are managed, including IT, among which rights (of ownership) of the protocols that have to be developed, expert standards with corresponding IT and software.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Court Service
The Northern Ireland Court Service (the Court Service) was established in 1979, by the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978, as a separate civil service in Northern Ireland. It is the Lord Chancellor's department in Northern Ireland. Part of the Court Service’s role is to support the Lord Chancellor in discharging his ministerial responsibilities in Northern Ireland, including responsibility for judicial appointments and legal aid.
Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission
Our Mission and Aim is to promote fair and equal access to justice in Northern Ireland in its provision of publicly funded legal services. Our Aim is to provide high quality, customer focused services that target those in greatest need and demonstrate value for money. We fund lawyers and other advice providers: to help people who are eligible for legal aid to protect their rights in civil matters and to help people who are under investigation, or facing criminal charges.
Papua New Guinea
Law and Justice Sector, Government of Papua New Guinea
The Law and Justice Sector comprises of the formal principal Law and Justice agencies including those informal or civil organization groups who are committed to assisting the formal agencies to address the law and order issues. The formal sector agencies include, amongst others, the Department of Justice and Attorney General and the Office of the Public Prosecutor and Public Solicitor.
People's Republic of China
Legal Aid Center of the Ministry of Justice of the People’s Republic of China
Legal Aid Center of the Ministry of Justice, approved by the general office of State Staff Committee and established in December, 1996, manages and supervises legal aid work nationwide authorized by the Ministry of Justice. It performs seven main functions: Studying and drafting the policies, laws, regulations, rules and regulatory documents relevant to legal aid work; directing and supervising local legal aid work and its conduction; organizing and publicizing legal aid system; managing legal aid fund; organizing legal aid system and theory research; organizing the foreign intercourse and cooperation of legal aid work; conducting other relevant matters delivered by Ministry of Justice.
The Philippines
Public Attorney’s Office, The Philippines
The Department of Justice provides free legal assistance/representation to indigents and poor litigants in criminal, civil, and labour cases, administrative and other quasi-judicial proceedings and non-commercial disputes through the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
Samoa
Office of the Attorney General, Samoa
The Attorney General’s legal duties and responsibilities are as follows: (i) Principal Legal Adviser to the Head of State, Cabinet and the Prime Minister; (ii) Responsible for all civil proceedings involving Government (iii) Responsible for criminal proceedings; (iv) Protector of the Judiciary; (v) Drafting legislation; (vi) Common law protector of charitable trusts. Vision: To ensure a safe and just society through the provision of quality and effective legal services.
Scotland
Department of Justice, The Scottish Government
The devolved Government for Scotland is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport.
University of Strathclyde Law Clinic
The Law Clinic was launched in October 2003, as the first university law clinic in Scotland, in order to provide free legal assistance to people in Glasgow and the surrounding area who are unable to obtain legal assistance through other means. The Clinic is intended to be complementary to existing legal services provided by lawyers and other agencies such as Citizens’ Advice Bureaux. There are currently around 160 students working voluntary in the Law Clinic. They are supervised by two solicitors and advised by Law School Academics.
Scottish Legal Aid Board
The Scottish Legal Aid Board is a non-departmental public body responsible to the Scottish Government, set up to manage legal aid in Scotland. Its work includes: advising Scottish Ministers on how legal aid is working, and ways to develop it; managing the Legal Aid Fund and deciding whether to grant applications for legal aid; deciding if people have to pay towards the cost of legal assistance, then collecting these amounts; assessing solicitors’ and advocates’ accounts for legal aid work, and paying them for the work they have done; registering firms and solicitors who do legal assistance work and making sure these firms and solicitors maintain high standards, including funding civil quality assurance which is run by the Law Society of Scotland; investigating and tackling fraud and abuse of legal aid; developing a network of Board employed solicitors who offer criminal legal advice and representation, and also under Part V of our legislation, developing advice services on civil matters using Board employed solicitors; exploring new ways of delivering legal aid services.
Sierra Leone
The Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance, Sierra Leone
LAWCLA are an independent, non-political, non-profit making, public interest human rights law centre which provides free legal assistance to indigent members of the public in Sierra Leone. To complement funds received from donors, they undertake research, consultancy and solicitors work (preparing conveyances, setting up of business etc) for modest cost.
Singapore
Legal Aid Bureau, Singapore
On 4th April 1956, the Legal Aid and Advice Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly. The aim of the Bill was “to make legal aid and advice in the Colony more readily available to persons of limited means”. The Bureau is currently a department of the Ministry of Law. Vision: "Blazing Trails In The Compassionate Practice of Law". Mission: To provide quality legal aid and advice for persons of limited means.
South Africa
Legal Aid Board of South Africa
The Legal Aid Board of South Africa is an autonomous statutory body established by the Legal Aid Act (Act 22 of 1969) and the Legal Aid Amendment Act (Act 20 of 1996). The objective of the Board is to render or make available legal representation to indigent persons at State expense as contemplated in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), which affords every citizen access to justice. The Legal Aid Board is funded from the national fiscus and is accountable to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and ultimately to Parliament for service delivery and the efficient and effective use of its budget allocation.
Rhodes University Legal Aid Clinic
The Rhodes University Legal Aid Clinic (LAC) is a non-profit-making organisation that was established about 25 years ago. The Clinic has developed in recent years to focus on the following primary objectives: (1) the provision of free legal services to the indigent people of Grahamstown and the surrounding area who cannot afford to pay a private practitioner, thereby increasing access to justice to the poorest of the poor and creating a greater respect for the rule of law; (2) the education of Rhodes law students in the practical application of the law in order to enable them to serve clients in an effective, efficient, productive, ethical, business-minded and socially conscious manner; (3) providing family law services, with an emphasis on combating domestic violence in Grahamstown and the surrounding district; (4) providing back-up legal services to paralegal advice offices throughout the Eastern Cape Province; (5) providing specialist services in land and farm workers’ rights via its Queenstown office – the Queenstown Rural Legal Centre (QRLC).
University of Witwatersrand Law Clinic
The Clinic acts as a teaching institution, where final year law students are taught the practise of law, and the Clinic also renders legal services to the poor and marginalised communities of greater Johannesburg. In 2005 the Wits Law Clinic entered into a co-operation agreement with the Legal Aid Board in terms of which the Clinic is operated in conjunction with Legal Aid Board. Today, the Wits Law Clinic is one of the biggest law clinics of its kind in South Africa, and is renowned for its work, particularly in areas of public interest law and claims against the State as a result of police brutality.
South Korea
Korea Legal Aid Corporation
The government provides the Legal Aid System for those who are not fully covered with equal justice owing to lack of legal knowledge or economic disadvantage; therefore, they can have an opportunity to protect their deserved rights under the constitutional laws. For this reason, the Korea Legal Aid Corporation is founded and financed by the government for the efficient Legal Aid services.
Taiwan
Legal Aid Foundation, Taiwan
The main goal of the Foundation is to assist disadvantaged persons in enforcing their constitutionally protected right of access to the court system by implementing the ideal of a "people's judiciary” thereby contributing to the building of a just society. Under the Legal Aid Act, the Foundation is funded by the Judicial Yuan, related governmental entities and community groups.
USA
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
CLASP's mission is to develop and advocate for policies at the federal, state and local levels that improve the lives of low income people. In particular, we seek policies that work to strengthen families and create pathways to education and work. Through careful research and analysis and effective advocacy, CLASP develops and promotes new ideas, mobilizes others, and directly assists governments and advocates to put in place successful strategies that deliver results that matter to people across America.
The Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality
In 2006, Stanford University committed to a new program of research, training, and policy analysis on poverty and inequality. The backdrop to this new initiative is recognition that poverty and inequality have become an unprecedented threat and that the great universities of the world must address this threat with all the resources and initiative that we have applied in the past to other major social problems.
Center for Access to Justice & Technology
Chicago-Kent College of Law established the Center for Access to Justice & Technology (CAJT) to make justice more accessible to the public by promoting the use of the Internet in the teaching, practice, and public access to the law. The Center conducts research, builds software tools, teaches classes and supports faculty, staff and student projects on access to justice and technology. Currently, CAJT manages and promotes the Access to Justice (A2J) Author®, leads the A2J Student Editorial Board (A2J-SEB), and directs the Self-Help Web Center (SHWC).
Legal Services Corporation
Established by Congress in 1974, LSC operates as a private, non-profit corporation that promotes equal access to justice and provides grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans.
The Bellow Sacks Access to Civil Legal Aid Project
The Bellow-Sacks Project hosts this website where project papers, reports on seminar proceedings, and a calendar of upcoming events will be posted. Links to other websites relevant to the delivery of civil legal services will be included as we learn about them. The website will also offer opportunities for discussion and exchange by anyone interested in the topics and in the broad issue of making civil legal services universally available.
National Legal Aid and Defender Association
NLADA is the nation's leading advocate for front-line attorneys and other equal justice professionals - those who make a difference in the lives of low-income clients and their families and communities. Representing legal aid and defender programs, as well as individual advocates, NLADA is proud to be the oldest and largest national, nonprofit membership association devoting 100 percent of its resources to serving the broad equal justice community.
NLADA serves the equal justice community in two major ways: providing first-rate products and services and as a leading national voice in public policy and legislative debates on the many issues affecting the equal justice community. We also serve as a resource for those seeking more information on equal justice in the United States.
American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and Center for Pro Bono
facilitate, and expand the delivery of pro bono legal assistance. The Standing Committee and its project, the Center for Pro Bono, encourage lawyers to do pro bono work and help them connect with opportunities that meet their needs. Its programs, projects and services help pro bono programs, advocates and policymakers address the legal needs of the poor.
The Pro Bono Institute
Established in 1996, the Pro Bono Institute is a small non-profit organization housed at the Georgetown University Law Center that provides research, consultative services, analysis and assessment, publications, and training to a broad range of legal audiences.
Pro Bono Net
Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit organization based in New York City and San Francisco. It works in close partnership with nonprofit legal organizations across the United States and Canada, to increase access to justice for the millions of poor people who face legal problems every year without help from a lawyer. It does this by (i) supporting the innovative and effective use of technology by the nonprofit legal sector, (ii) increasing participation by volunteers, and (iii) facilitating collaborations among nonprofit legal organizations and advocates working on similar issues or in the same region.
California Commission on Access to Justice
The California Commission on Access to Justice is a collaborative effort involving all three branches of government as well as judges, lawyers, professors, and business, labor, and other civic leaders. The Access Commission is dedicated to finding long-term solutions to the chronic lack of legal assistance available for low-income, vulnerable Californians. Its goals include increasing resources for legal services for the indigent, expanding pro bono and language assistance, and increasing the availability of self-help assistance and limited scope legal representation. It works closely with the State Bar, Judicial Council, and other agencies to implement its far-reaching recommendations.
Western Center on Law and Poverty
Western Center advances and enforces the rights of low-income Californians to the basic necessities of life by working statewide for systemic change. Through legislative and administrative advocacy and impact litigation, it improves the lives of its clients. And by working closely with and supporting legal and social services organizations, it ensures that its work is responsive to the most critical human needs, while enhancing community organizations’ capacity to work in their neighborhoods. Western Centre effectuates broad-based change aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty. Leaving the representation of individual clients on individual cases to neighborhood legal aid offices, the Center takes the lead on advocacy designed to make large scale improvements in the way low-income Californians receive the most critical services and benefits.
Public Counsel’s Pro Bono Online
Public Counsel is the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the world. Founded in 1970, Public Counsel is dedicated to advancing equal justice under law by delivering free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of our community.
Legal Aid Society Of Hawaii
We are Hawaii’s oldest and largest non-profit law firm, dedicated to assisting the low- to moderate-income community. Our mission is to achieve fairness and justice for Ha