For more than a century the National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA) has worked to scale and improve access to counsel systems in the U.S. through innovation, education and advocacy. NLADA is a mission driven membership association whose members are civil legal aid, public defense and client advocates who are on the front lines of justice everyday.  Collectively, our members address every significant issue faced by people living in poverty in the U.S. in both civil and criminal arenas.

NLADA has been on the forefront of creating institutions such as the Legal Services Corporation, public defender systems and individuals programs such as the Mississippi Center for Justice, and has played a leadership role in major legislative and litigative efforts expanding access and the right to counsel.