Champions of Social Justice in Southwestern PA

NLS, founded in 1966, offers free civil legal services for individuals and families who would otherwise be denied access to justice.

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Provider of Free Civil Aid

NLS exists to protect the poor and vulnerable individuals in our community through effective civil legal representation and assists those clients seeking a fair resolution to significant problems. NLS’s clients include hard-working low-wage earners, victims of domestic violence, the disabled, abused seniors, and the homeless, as well as countless others –people without the resources to afford legal assistance even when their need is desperate. Assistance may include direct legal representation, legal advice and counsel, referrals, community legal education, self-help clinics, or special projects.

Our Mission

The mission of Neighborhood Legal Services is to meet the civil legal needs of the poor and vulnerable in our community through effective legal representation and education.

Help our neighbors in crisis return to safe, productive lives.

NLS’s focus is on helping our clients improve their ability to be self-sufficient.  Because the strength of our community is measured one neighbor at a time. So when we encounter neighbors whose livelihood is threatened, NLS steps in to bridge the gap.  When a neighbor is at risk of losing his place to live, NLS steps in. When a domestic partner threatens the safety of a mother and her children, NLS steps in.

Neighborhood Legal Services
By The Numbers

For more than 53 years, Neighborhood Legal Services has been a champion for legal rights, promoting and providing equal justice in the region. NLS handled 7,485 cases last year, providing everyday people with the sense of security, safety, and justice that they deserve through representation and education.

NLS’s cases range from troubled families and people eligible for public benefits to low-income workers and individuals of all ages. Our advocacy impacted nearly 17,000 people and obtained $1.3 million in awards and benefits for our clients.

In addition, our website was accessed by almost 50,000 people in 2019. We were also able to connect with the community through 174 outreach events, and distributed over 9,000 pamphlets and brochures.

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