How to Get Involved With or Support The Legal Aid Society

You can support The Legal Aid Society in three main ways: stay informed and act on its advocacy campaigns, use and share its free community resources, or contribute professional time through its pro bono partnerships with New York law firms. The organization's own "Get Involved" section points supporters toward its current campaigns, while its community work offers a path for anyone who wants to help spread legal information.

Start With the Campaigns on the "Get Involved" Page

The Legal Aid Society's website lists specific initiatives under "Get Involved." These are the clearest entry points for a supporter who wants to do something concrete rather than just read about the mission. The campaigns named on the site include:

• 150 Years of Delivering Justice — marking the organization's history of representation in New York.
• Protect Raise the Age — defending a law that changed how the justice system treats young people.
• Justice for New York's Youth — focused on young clients in the justice and child welfare systems.
• End Mass Incarceration & Perpetual Punishment — a long-running advocacy priority.

Each of these links to a page where you can read the current ask and decide whether to act, share, or follow the issue. Because campaigns change, check the "Get Involved" section directly rather than relying on an older list.

Use and Share the Free Community Resources

The Legal Aid Society describes free helplines, "know your rights" trainings, and educational materials as core parts of its community work. These resources are aimed at helping New Yorkers deal with predatory employers and landlords, fight deportation, apply for government benefits, and clear criminal records.

If you are not eligible for direct representation yourself, sharing these materials with someone who is can be a meaningful form of support. The organization states that it partners with local organizations, coalitions, and directly impacted communities to distribute this information, so community groups are a natural channel for getting it to the people who need it.

Support Through Pro Bono Legal Work

The Legal Aid Society's systemic change work — litigation and law reform advocacy — is done "with the assistance from New York's leading law firms through our longstanding pro bono partnerships." The site reports 200,000 hours of pro bono work from its partners.

If you are an attorney at a firm, the practical path is through your firm's pro bono program rather than applying as an individual. If you are not a lawyer, this route is not open to you, but the community and campaign routes above are.

Understand the Scale You Are Supporting

Knowing what the organization actually delivers helps you decide where your support matters most. The figures on its site:

The Legal Aid Society provides free legal representation to low-income New Yorkers in criminal trials, parole revocation and appeals, juvenile justice and child protection cases, and civil matters such as housing and immigration. Its stated belief is that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice.

A Practical Way to Choose

• If you want to take action on a policy issue: go to the "Get Involved" section and pick the campaign you care about.
• If you want to help someone you know: point them to the free helplines and know-your-rights materials, and share those materials through a community organization.
• If you are a lawyer at a firm: ask about your firm's pro bono partnership with Legal Aid.
• If you simply want to follow the work: the "Justice in Action" and "Making A Difference" sections show recent victories and client stories.

The organization's mission statement, attributed to Attorney-in-Chief and CEO Twyla Carter, frames all of this: "Whether in the courtroom or in the community, we are tireless in our dedication to this mission."