Division for Legal Services
Who We Are
The mission of the American Bar Association Division for Legal Services is to expand access to justice for all persons through the provision of, and appropriate public funding for, legal assistance, counsel, and representation in the nation’s civil, criminal, and military justice systems. The Division actively promotes the quality and accessibility of these legal services through its entities’ programs, initiatives, and policy-making, by supporting civil legal aid, indigent defense, and military attorneys in their practices and professional development, as well as the institutions and organizations that work to ensure access to justice for all. The Division for Legal Services houses the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants (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.
