Legal Services Division
Our mission is to support and expand access to justice for all persons through the provision of, and appropriate funding for, legal assistance, counsel, and representation in the nation’s civil, criminal, and military justice systems.
Become a Part of the Legal Services Division
The Legal Services Division's work would not be possible without ABA membership dues. Today's public interest lawyers of all practice backgrounds are able to join the ABA for significantly reduced dues rates of as little as $75 per year. These dues are critical to supporting not just the work of the Legal Services Division, but also that of many other ABA public interest entities. Plus, membership provides a wide array of benefits tailored to the needs of our public interest practitioners. Join the ABA and support both our and your future!
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Who We Are
The mission of the American Bar Association Legal Services Division is to actively promote access to justice by ensuring the quality and accessibility of necessary legal services for those in need through the work of its entities' programs, initiatives, and policy-making. The Division also achieves its mission by supporting civil legal aid, public defense, and military attorneys in their practices and professional development, along with the institutions and organizations that work to ensure access to justice for all. The Legal Services Division houses the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense (SCLAID), which works on matters relating to legal aid and defender services, and supports state-based Access to Justice Commissions through its Resource Center for ATJ Initiatives. The Division is also the home of the ABA Military and Veterans Legal Center, where the Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP), Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law (SCAFL), and the Coordinating Committee on Veterans Benefits and Services are staffed and managed, along with these entities’ pro bono legal service programs serving military families and veterans.
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