From our roots as a small clinic to our branches in dozens of neighborhoods, healthcare centers, and courthouses, LAFLA continues to lead the way.
In 2024, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is celebrating 95 years leading the fight for equal justice.
As the first legal aid society in Los Angeles, LAFLA has built a reputation as the front line of defense for low-income communities for nearly a century. Over the years, our expertise and dedication have led us to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing our clients, and our “firsts” are almost too many to name:
- LAFLA’s pioneering Eviction Defense Center set the standard for homelessness prevention work in Los Angeles, and we now lead Stay Housed LA, a strategic collaboration to keep tenants housed countywide.
- Our Veterans Justice Center, the oldest free legal services program for Veterans in L.A., recently launched a new, comprehensive program unlike any other in the United States: our Veterans of Color Project.
- One of the nation’s first specialized projects for language access in legal aid, our API Community Outreach Project is today recognized as the preeminent champion for language justice.
- LAFLA leads the groundbreaking Pro Bono Training Institute, a powerful resource hub that offers free, on-demand trainings on key issues in poverty law and language access—bringing hundreds of skilled volunteers to the movement every year.
- Our Medical-Legal Partnerships serve as a nationally recognized model for improving health outcomes, which we continue to expand to meet the unique needs of L.A.’s diverse communities.
- We were among the first in the nation to recognize the urgent need for specialized services for survivors of torture, launching our Torture Survivors Project.
- At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we met the urgency of the moment with our unique set of resources guiding tenants and advocates through an unprecedented crisis of rental debt.
And that’s not all. LAFLA’s dedicated staff also take on the challenges of reentry, student debt, government benefits, immigration access, supporting survivors of domestic violence, community land trusts, and more. Our work is expansive because we know the need is great, and we will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit for justice and equality.
But none of this crucial work would be possible without the generosity and passion of our donors, volunteers, and supporters like you. Thanks to your support, LAFLA continues to deepen our reach, empower our communities, and create transformative change.
We are excited to share more about our growing impact as we reflect on nearly a century of fighting for justice, and we couldn’t be more thankful to you for joining us on the journey.
