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The International Legal Foundation (ILF)

New York, United States
Joined August 2019

We fight to guarantee high-quality legal representation for everyone arrested or detained. Around the world, we provide criminal defense services & build sustainable, effective legal aid institutions.

Presence in: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal, State of Palestine, Tunisia, United States
Focus: Criminal Justice, Women's Rights

The ILF was founded to address the global crisis in access to justice.

Every day, millions of men, women, and children are held in jails around the world because they cannot afford a lawyer to defend them. Without legal representation, many face torture or other abuses, languish behind bars for years awaiting trial, or are wrongfully convicted.

The denial of access to legal aid, and a lack of qualified criminal defense lawyers, particularly impacts poor and otherwise marginalized communities. These vulnerable populations are disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated.

Over the past two decades, the ILF has established a practical and effective approach to meet the urgent need for quality criminal defense in diverse legal systems.

From the ground up, we train and empower lawyers to be proactive advocates capable of providing high-quality criminal defense. Case by case, our lawyers transform the criminal justice system and strengthen the rule of law. To ensure large-scale and sustainable reform, we share expertise and build government support for the right to legal aid.

The ILF has defended over 70,000 people since its founding in 2001. 

We have country-level teams doing pioneering work every day in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, and Tunisia.